Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors

• Collaborate with other professionals to assess client needs or plan treatments.
• Collaborate with other professionals to develop education or assistance programs.
• Maintain client records.
• Write reports or evaluations.
• Interview clients to gather information about their backgrounds, needs, or progress.
• Refer clients to community or social service programs.
• Maintain professional social services knowledge.
• Counsel clients or patients with substance abuse issues.
• Counsel family members of clients or patients.
• Intervene in crisis situations to assist clients.

• Having face-to-face discussions.
• Working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.
• Working with a group or team.
• Freedom to make decisions without supervision.
• Meeting strict deadlines.
• Sitting.
• The freedom to determine tasks, priorities, and goals.
• Dealing with unpleasant or angry people.
• Exposure to disease or infections.

• Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling
• Mental Health Counseling/Counselor
• Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling
• Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor

• Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
• Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions

Enrolling in a community college can be a great place to start your four-year degree. While all 31 Minnesota State community colleges, technical colleges and universities offer all or part of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (a 40-credit package of general education courses accepted for transfer to other state colleges and universities, the University of Minnesota, and some private colleges and universities), not all two-year colleges offer degrees intended to transfer to a four-year bachelor's degree.

If you plan to transfer to obtain a four-year bachelor's degree, it is important to know which degree path is right for you:

• Associate of Arts (AA) degrees offered at community colleges are designed to transfer into liberal arts four-year majors.
• Associate of Science (AS) and Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) degrees offered at community and technical colleges transfer into specific four-year majors and will likely require completing additional general education courses at a university.
• Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees offered at technical and community colleges are not designed to transfer. They lead to immediate entry into the workplace.
• Diplomas and certificates offered at technical colleges are not designed to transfer. They lead to immediate entry into the workplace.

Talk to a transfer specialist as early as possible to determine the best associate degree for your goals. Be sure to review your Degree Audit Report (DARS) each semester to best prepare for transfer. Get more help understanding transfer using the tools below.

• Visit Transferology to see if your courses will transfer.
• Search Articulation Agreements to find formal transfer agreements between schools.

• Being Aware of Others—Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Listening—Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading—Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking—Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Helping Others—Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Thinking Critically—Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing—Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Making Decisions—Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Monitoring Performance—Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Persuading Others—Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

• Therapy and Counseling—Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
• Psychology—Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Customer and Personal Service—Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Education and Training—Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Clerical—Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
• English Language—Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Philosophy and Theology—Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
• Sociology and Anthropology—Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
• Computers and Electronics—Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Law and Government—Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

• Social—Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Artistic—Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

• Child, Family, and School Social Workers
• Health Educators
• High School Teachers
• Educational, Vocational, and School Counselors
• Mental Health Counselors
• Religious Activities Directors
• Social and Human Service Assistants
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
• Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
• Residential Advisors

• Ambulatory Health Care Services
• Nursing and Residential Care Facilities
• Social Assistance
• Hospitals

• Child, Family, and School Social Workers
• Health Educators
• High School Teachers
• Educational, Vocational, and School Counselors
• Mental Health Counselors
• Religious Activities Directors
• Social and Human Service Assistants
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
• Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
• Residential Advisors