Program Overview
Lipscomb’s new Healthcare Professionals Certificate Training (HPCT) certificate program consists of a one-year, three-course substance addiction specialization curriculum within a CACREP-accredited clinical mental health counseling program. Participants will also enroll in two group supervision courses led by an instructor. Group supervision will occur in the summer and fall semesters.
The HPCT program is grant-funded and designed for counselors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses and social workers practicing at partnering Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community mental health centers. This program emphasizes substance use disorder treatments (especially opioid) for underserved populations. Coursework is free to participants with a one-year program commitment. The first cohort of 10 practitioners will begin the program in January 2024. Only practitioners working with partnering agencies are eligible to participate.
Lipscomb University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program (CMHC) has been awarded a $1.65 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to improve mental health services in Middle Tennessee by training the behavioral health and healthcare workforce to address unmet needs. This grant will fund Lipscomb’s new Healthcare Professionals Certificate Training (HPCT) program and will provide full tuition for a total of 50 students to complete a graduate Certificate in Substance Use Disorder Treatment.
NOTE: This publication is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1.65 million with 0 percent financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
Why Earn a Substance Addiction Certificate at Lipscomb?
The Healthcare Professionals Certificate Training program will prepare trainees to address the unmet co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder needs of underserved and vulnerable individuals in comprehensive health centers, with a focus on children, adolescents and the emerging adult population in Middle Tennessee.
Interested in this program? Email lstrevell [at] lipscomb.edurel="noopener" target="_blank" for application information.
Courses
Total Hours: 15
COUN 5213 Foundations of Substance Use Disorder Counseling (3 hours) - Spring
- In the first course, theories, etiology, and neurobiology of chemical addiction will be addressed, specifically Opioid Use Disorders (OUD). Integrated behavioral healthcare will be addressed throughout the course to expand upon professionals’ knowledge of the interdisciplinary treatment team model at their clinics. In addition, this course will introduce co-occurring disorders and clinical skills to participants which are developed throughout the three-course series.
COUN 6363 Assessment, Diagnosis & Treatment Planning for Substance Use Disorders (3 hours) - Summer
- In the second course, special attention will be given to core clinical interviewing, assessment, diagnostic skills, and psychopharmacology. The following clinical skills are addressed for specific use with clients/patients presenting with symptoms of mental health and SUDs: interviewing and case conceptualization skills, assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and biopsychosocial case conceptualization and treatment planning.
Group Supervision I (3 hours) - Summer
- Participants will be supervised by the certificate program instructor and partnering FQHC supervisors and receive feedback to further develop clinical skills.
COUN 6373 Prevention, Intervention & Counseling for Substance Use Disorders (3 hours) - Fall
- In the third and final course, emphasis will be placed on intervention and prevention models, relevant evidence-based models, and treatment for addiction, such as motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and recovery resources. A special emphasis will be placed on community partnerships, underserved populations, and prevention and intervention throughout the lifespan
Group Supervision II (3 hours) - Fall
- Participants will be supervised by the certificate program instructor and partnering FQHC supervisors and receive feedback to further develop clinical skills.
