Why doesn't anybody answer my questions? :)?

Question

If I would like to become an alcohol and drug counselor, would I only need my A.A Degree from my local community college. In their catalog, it says that after an A.S. is earned, there are plenty of job opportunities available. Is this true? Is it a safe career? And does it pay well?

What is HIV/Aids training? Is it safe?

Answer 1

While I am sure there are jobs available for someone with their A.S. degree, they are probably not what you are looking for in the long run. Going on to a four year college and earning your B.S degree will make you more qualified for positions that open up for lead counselors. Many programs will only hire those with a B.S degree as counselors. Pay scales will vary from state to state as well as whether you work for a private agence or the state. Pay will also be based on your degree and experience.

My suggestion is for you to get your A.S from your local community college and then transfer to a four year college. Before you do this get a catalog from the four year college you plan to transfer to and see what the requirements are for the B.S. When you register for classes on the community college level make sure that the classes you take are also part of the four year requirements. This will keep you from taking unnecessary classes and/or delaying your graduation from the four year program.

While you are working toward this goal see what jobs are available as a volunteer or part-time worker in a counseling center or check into church programs that work with addictions counseling. This will help you when you have completed your B.S by giving you valuable expericence and show employers that you are committed to this career as well as help you see early on if this is the right field for you.

My church works with a group called Overcomers whick is a national program based out of Texas. They have both degreed counselors as well as ordinary people with a heart for helping people over come their addictions.

HIV/Aids training will help you know what risks are involved with working with patients who have this disease as well as educating you on the disease. Those with drug addictions have a high risk of contracting HIV/Aids and you need to know how to help them not only with their addictions but dealing with their health problems.

Good luck to you.

Answer 2

There are plenty of job opportunities for work as an alcohol and drug abuse counselor, but they don't pay all that well. However, if you get into a position where the employer pays for it, you could continue to a bachelor's degree by taking a class or two at a time in the evening.

Safe? Relatively. There is some risk of a client freaking out and harming you, but there are generally pretty effective security measures to minimize that risk. And remember that any medical care will be paid for in workers' compensation.

HIV/Aids training means learning how to care for HIV/Aids patients. The more you know about it, the safer it is. But people have plenty of misconceptions about it, so the pay is considerably better for work like that. And the patients need people who care.

Answer 3

I believe the best way to find out how much education you need for a job, is to talk to someone who does the job you are interested in. Conduct information interviews with people who are currently doing what you are interested in and they will give you all the information you need about that particular job and similar ones. Find an organization that specializes in rehabilitation of drug and alcohol addicts and speak to someone in the human resource department. They, of all people, know what education is needed and also how much the organizations pay. Also, decide what you want to do for the addicts. There two sides to rehabilitation. Are you interested in the medical aspect, actually caring for people while they reform? Or are you interested in the counseling portion, where you could help people rebuild their lives after reform? Volunteer at an organization, that way you can become familiar with all aspects of your career interest. And no matter what other people say, pursue the career you are interested in! Money will come. Only you know why you have chosen this career path, and you are the only person that has to be happy with said career path. Good Luck! :)

Answer 4

The asset would be to take (electives) associated with the job you want. Yes there are a lot of jobs surrounding your field of interest. Having a desk job could be just as hazardous as any job, being a parent these days are unsafe in some respect. It pays more than minimum wage.
What would be great also is, to volunteer in the area you think you might be interested in. I tell everyone this because you can get a good feel of if this is for you or not. Also you would already have your foot in the door in case a position opens up and they like how your work performance is, they will offer you the job. It would be the best place to ask the questions you might have.

Answer 5

Yeah, at minimum wage or close to it.

Sorry but most of the alcoholics you'll see with an associates degree will be chosing between the bottle and their next session with you.

Now you maybe incredibly attractive with a sparking personality made fresh by a true and genuine desire to help people. BUT, the bottle is quicker and it doesn't nag. It doesn't mind if I have another bottle. It never makes me feel like I've failed my counselor and myself; more or less.

To see alcoholics with money you're going to need to get up into the master's degree level.

Now depending where you are you can hang out a shingle that says you are a psychological counselor who specializes in alcoholism - with only your AS. Kind of hard to prove though in areas where you need to satisfy some board requirements.

To make money in this business, like in most counseling businesses, you need to serve a clientele who is functional enough to hold a job that has medical benefits. What's referred to in the business as 'the worried well'.

Even then it's often a pissing contest with the insurance companies to be paid. Some only pay for 12 visits per year if that. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

Answer 6

Thats A Good Thing. In Order To Be Sucessful You May Need To Become An Alcoholic Or An Addict In Order To Be Able To Fully Understand The Position. Unless You Are A Co (Family Member is Alcoholic Or Addict)And Attend On And On(Alanon). Good Luck To Ya.

Answer 7

well, people are very nice and helpful on yahoo answer but there is time my question has no one answer, and that's just mean that question is not popular or ppl doesn't familiar the question so don't know what to say and also, it might be a less ppl time.

well, you need to talk to the school counselor for your question. I would assume it is safe but then your client is probably most like all going to be on drug and or having alchol abuse problem--so how safe, well, you will be with security to a certain point so of course, realized your job will probably had some risk some time,

how well, ck out salary.com

HIV/AIDS TRAIINING. hehehe..funny. okay, the "training" is very very very very very very very safe---let me assure you about that regarding the training.

it just a training to teach how dangerous is that about intact with human blood or unprotect sex...related to HIV but it is nothing dangerous about.

it is when you have to talk to your clients, and if you are in not so good situation, would they attack you or ?? you should talk to advisor at school and call around to ask advise on community advisor then go to shadow a alchol and drug counselor then you can have more feel to if you want to do or not.

good luck

Answer 8

A lot of alcohol and drug counselors are previous users themselves who learn from being counsel. They will go for their certification after rehab. Your A.S. only takes up to 2 years so thats why its so easy for them to get the job. If you look in employment websites such as craigslist you will see that most of the positions for alcohol and drug counselors prefer first hand knowledge of alcohol and drug use. Good luck especially if you are young getting a job doing that

Answer 9

You want a minimum of a Master's in either counseling or psychology if you want decent money. A Master's would open up several opportunities for you that pay between 40-50,000 (depending on your state you could make more). An associates will not pay much at all and is NOT competitive in the market. A bachelor's will likely get you a job paying aroun 30-35,000 tops.

Answer 10

i have a BA in psychology, and I can't find any good paying jobs. Honestly, unless you work for the state (which is a crappy low paying job) you can't find much work without at least a master's degree. most of the counselors I talk to here agree, and are working towards earning their masters (i work at a hospital emergency room).
I'm pretty sure hiv/aids training is about the special considerations needed when counseling someone diagnosed with hiv/aids.