EDUCATIONAL Enhancement CASAC Online
Addiction Counselor Training
Harm Reduction for Substance Use Counseling
Harm reduction is a crucial evidence-based strategy that involves connecting with your clients who still use drugs,
providing them with life-saving tools and information, fostering positive transformations, and potentially saving their lives.
Self-Paced, Online, Harm Reduction Training for Substance Use Counselors
Welcome to our harm reduction training course for substance use counselors, where our primary goal is to equip you with a comprehensive understanding of how harm reduction can effectively address substance use disorder.
Harm reduction encompasses a wide range of evidence-based strategies, focusing on safer use, managed use, and even abstinence, tailored to meet drug users wherever they may be on their journey.
Harm reduction aims to minimize the negative impact of drug use on individuals and their communities by tackling both the conditions of use and the use itself.
Throughout this course, you’ll discover the numerous benefits of harm reduction and learn how its strategies can significantly reduce harm and complications from drug use. Moreover, we’ll explore how harm reduction efforts can also work towards mitigating risks to the community.
It’s essential to debunk some common misconceptions about harm reduction, and this course will do just that. We’ll shed light on its rightful place within the continuum of substance use treatment and recovery (SUD).
As you progress through the training, you’ll gain a deep understanding of harm reduction principles and services, empowering you to confidently embrace the concept and “practice” harm reduction in your work and life.
So, get ready to explore the world of harm reduction, so you can help pave the way for safer and healthier communities!
Educational Enhancement CASAC Online is approved for OASAS (#0415) CASAC Renewal and nationally by NAADAC (#254148)
We want to serve your addiction counselor credentialing and renewal needs.
Register today and become the change our communities need.
Who should take this harm reduction training?
In short, if you work or plan to work in treatment recovery, this online harm reduction training is for you.
Our training is designed for current counselors working in addiction, other addiction professionals, and persons wishing to obtain their initial counseling credentials.
You will receive 6 clock hours for taking our self-study, self-paced training addiction counselor online training.
Educational Enhancement’s online Harm Reduction training is OASAS and NAADAC approved.
Are you ready to be the CHANGE our communities need?
Fulfillment in any career starts with efficient education and traing.
Every day, alcohol and drug counselors become a beacon for change in the lives of the clients they serve.
Educational Enhancement CASAC ONLINE is committed to providing you the highest standard of addictions counselor education and training. We are the premier and first hybrid training in NYS.
Since 2002 Educational enhancement has trained over 5000 CASACs in NYS. Our program is approved by OASAS in NYS (provider #0415).
We will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to make a lasting impression in another person’s life.
Through this, you will gain insight, skills, and the interventions used to foster recovery and bolster autonomy in your patients.
Photo by Steve Knutson on Unsplash
Benefits of Harm Reduction Training for Substance Use Counselors
Harm Reduction Training for Substance Use Counselors offers many valuable benefits that can significantly enhance their professional skills and effectiveness in helping individuals struggling with substance use disorder.
Here are some of the key advantages of completing this training:
1. Comprehensive Understanding: The training provides counselors with an in-depth understanding of harm reduction principles and strategies. This knowledge allows them to approach their clients’ challenges from a more holistic perspective, considering both the immediate risks and the long-term impact of substance use.
2. Client-Centered Approach: Harm reduction emphasizes meeting clients “where they’re at” in their journey, respecting their autonomy, and tailoring interventions accordingly. Counselors trained in harm reduction can establish a more empathetic and non-judgmental rapport with their clients, fostering a trusting and collaborative relationship.
3. Improved Engagement and Retention: By embracing harm reduction principles, counselors can increase client engagement and retention in treatment. This approach reduces resistance and stigma often associated with traditional abstinence-only models, encouraging clients to seek help and stay connected throughout recovery.
4. Reduced Stigma and Judgement: Harm reduction training helps counselors recognize and challenge their biases and misconceptions about substance use. This reduces stigmatization and judgment of their clients, creating a safer and more supportive counseling environment.
5. Risk Reduction: Counselors equipped with harm reduction strategies can effectively guide clients in minimizing the immediate risks associated with drug use. They can educate clients on safer use practices, reducing the chances of overdose and other harmful consequences.
6. Community Impact: Implementing harm reduction techniques benefits individual clients and contributes to the overall well-being of communities. By reducing drug-related harm and risks, counselors play a vital role in promoting safer and healthier neighborhoods.
7. Increased Effectiveness: Harm reduction training equips counselors with evidence-based and proven techniques that effectively address substance use disorder. This leads to more successful outcomes and positive changes in clients’ lives.
8. Complementing Other Approaches: Harm reduction training can complement existing treatment approaches, enhancing the counselor’s toolkit and offering additional options to support clients throughout their recovery journey.
9. Continuum of Care: Understanding harm reduction allows counselors to see its place within the broader continuum of care for substance use disorder. It helps them connect clients to various resources: harm reduction services, medication-assisted treatment, or more intensive rehabilitation programs.
10. Personal and Professional Growth: Participating in harm reduction training can be personally enriching for counselors, expanding their knowledge and skill set. This growth translates into increased job satisfaction and a greater sense of fulfillment in their role as substance use counselors.
I recently finished OASAS CASAC Section 4 with Educational Enhancement CASAC online. The classes are wonderfully written out and are easy to understand. You can feel the passion for helping others succeed put into this work. When I asked questions about the information, Johnny was quick to reply and help me out. The trainings were set up so I could work at my own speed -between work and school. The information went above and beyond and taught in a way that sticks in your mind. Thank you. I will come back for renewal hours once I’m a CASAC.
Harm Reduction Training for Substance Use Counselors
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this training, you will have learned the following:
- Identify and define harm reduction, its history in the US, and the principles of its use
- Learn effective strategies to work with people who use drugs
- Understand how drug use impacts access to services
- Gain knowledge of harm reduction strategies that promote open and non-judgmental communication when engaging people with:
- Opiate use disorders
- Cocaine use disorders
- Alcohol use disorders
- Methamphetamine use disorders
- Nicotine use disorders
Course Curriculum
Module 1: Introduction to Harm Reduction
Module 2: Why People Use Drugs
Module 3: The Beginning of Harm Reduction in The United States
Module 4: Principles of Harm Reduction
Module 5: Stigma and Drugs use
Module 6: Practical Harm Reduction Strategies to Engage People with Use Disorders:
- Heroin and other opioids
- Alcohol
- Stimulants —Cocaine and Methamphetamine
- Cannabis / Marijuana
- Nicotine— Smoking and Vaping
Module 7: Practical Harm Reduction Strategies to Reduce Risk in Sex Workers
Module 8: Conclusion and Summary
Embrace Effective Change!
Join Our Harm Reduction Training Course
for Substance Use Counselors Today!
Are you a substance use counselor dedicated to making a real difference in the lives of your clients? Unlock your full potential with our cutting-edge Harm Reduction Training Course!
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