November 15, 1996 Contact: Mary Bridget Reilly (513) 556-1824 (O)
mary-bridget.reilly@uc.edu

Cincinnati -- This fall, the University of Cincinnati became the only campus in Ohio to offer an undergraduate degree that will train tomorrow's professionals in understanding, preventing and treating addiction. It is one of only a handful of such baccalaureate programs nationwide.

In its first quarter, UC's Addiction Studies Program has drawn 12 students to its four-year degree track and 45 students to its professional certification track (for students who already have or are currently obtaining a baccalaureate degree in a related field). "This response came basically from word-of-mouth. We did not advertise the program, and in fact, weren't even listed in the initial fall course catalogues," explained Larry Anthony, program coordinator, who hopes that these students and others reached through future videoconferences will help ease the impact of addiction.

Currently, alcohol-related accidents cost Americans $44 billion each year, with alcohol serving as a factor in nearly half of all murders, suicides and accidental deaths. Alcohol- related accidents are the leading cause of death for Americans aged five to 35. (Locally, nearly 145,000 Greater Cincinnatians suffer from alcoholism.)

America's tab for drug abuse each year comes to $122 billion, with the social costs for crime control, drug treatment and social welfare coming to $20,000 per year, per addict. According to the February 1995 issue of the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, the average heroin abuser generates "income" of $34,000 per year: $14,000 in money and goods taken during non- drug crimes, $15,000 from the heroin distribution business and $5,000 from other sources.

Despite the scope of the problem, there is a lack of educational opportunities because addiction studies is such a young field, explained Jerry Seaman, executive director of the Ohio Credentialing Board which certifies individuals practicing chemical dependency therapy and counseling.

"UC is a leader...and is unique because of its clear emphasis. Their addiction studies program is not an afterthought to another program. The faculty is a diverse combination and a real strength because the program is accessing professionals on and off campus in criminal justice, medicine, counseling," he added.

More social work, medical, psychiatry, and counseling professionals than ever are interested in pursuing continuing education studies in chemical and other addictions because of changes driven by the rise of managed care. The state offers chemical dependency credentialing on three levels, with level three being the most advanced. Counselors or therapists licensed at that level can devise and implement a treatment plan without supervision while those accredited at the first or second level must work under supervision, said Anthony. More and more managed-care plans are requiring that treatment for an addiction be performed by a professional accredited at the highest level as it means an overall financial savings.

Some students are driven by more personal reasons when enrolling. Both Robin Joy, 33, and Donald Gauck, 51, are recovering substance-abuse addicts pursuing baccalaureates in the Addiction Studies Program in order to help others. "Personally, I know what an addict goes through. When they say, 'You don't know what it's like,' I say, 'Yes, I do.' Now, I want knowledge of the clinical process," said Joy who currently works with adolescents at a local treatment facility.

Gauck, a counselor at the Central Psychiatric Center and a case manager at Bethesda Oak Hospital, has been a part-time student at UC since 1989, waiting for the Addiction Studies Program while pursuing a degree in psychology. "I had heard about the program in the planning stages probably three years ago. When I found out it was finally a 'go,' I immediately switched over," he explained.

Currently, the Addiction Studies Program offered through UC's College of Evening and Continuing Education has about 25 courses in three major areas: chemical dependency, food addiction and gambling addiction. Anthony said that more classes are already on the drawing board and will be phased in over the next year or two. These include courses focusing on smoking cessation, sports and drugs, criminal justice and addiction, and men's and women's issues in addiction. For those enrolled in the program's four- year track, internships that total to one-year's working experience will be required at local agencies, including Talbert House for Women, the Central Psychiatric Center and Ohio correctional facilities.

As it grows, the program will also reach out regionally and nationally via teleconferences to other educational institutions and to District Court personnel across the country since federal probation officers may soon be required to have chemical dependency competency.

For more information on UC's Addiction Studies Program, the public can call 513-556-6932.