Substance Use Disorder Counseling
UCSD Division of Extended Studies · La Jolla, CA
- Cost
- $6,875
- Length
- 54 weeks
- Working 6 months later
- 76%
Program names, program descriptions and occupation titles appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Everything else on this page is translated.
What happened to people who took this
- People enrolled
- 268
- Finished the program
- 100%Based on 50 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Working 6 months later
- 76%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $11,083A single quarter of earnings, roughly three months, not a yearly salary. Do not compare it directly with the yearly pay shown for the occupation.Typical California program: $10,900 of 1,339 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
The jobs this trains for
This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.
Trains for more than one job. The outlook shown is the weakest of them.
No regional figures for this program's city
La Jolla is not one of the metropolitan or rural areas California names when it publishes wages and openings. A neighbouring area's figures would look exactly like a correct answer, so none are shown and the statewide figures stand alone. About half of California's programs are in this position.
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
The Department publishes no description and no task list for this job. That is a gap in the federal record, not a sign that the work is unusual.
These figures describe a wider group of jobs
California publishes no separate pay or openings figures for the occupation this program trains for (21-1011). The federal classification it follows counts that work together with several related jobs under Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, because they cannot be measured apart, so the pay, openings and projected change below belong to the combined group. Read them as the range this job sits inside, not as a figure for the job itself.
- Typical pay in California
- $60,909per year
- Projected openings
- 86,370
- Projected change
- +26.1%
- Usually needs
- Not shown for this programCalifornia does publish a usual entry requirement for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, but it is one answer for the whole group and can name a degree this program's own occupation never asks for. It is left out here rather than shown beside a program it may not describe. That is this site's decision, not something the provider failed to report.
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- An internship or residency
People usually enter this job through an internship or a residency rather than from a classroom course alone. Ask the provider whether this program leads to one.
These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: Master's degree — 56% of the people doing this work.
- No high school diploma
- 2%
- High school diploma
- 4%
- Started college, no degree
- 6%
- Two-year degree
- 4%
- Four-year degree
- 24%
- Master's degree
- 56%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 5%
This counts people already doing this job, across the whole United States. Every other figure on this page is California's, and the federal government publishes no state version of this one. It is what people happen to have, not a rule about who gets hired. A small row does not mean you would be turned away, and a large one is not a promise of a job.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Pay, hiring, and what people studied
Job ads may call this: Clinician · Counselor · Therapist · Case Manager
- Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
- Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs.
- Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals.
- Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
- Typical pay in California
- $81,211per year
- Projected openings
- 22,620
- Projected change
- +20.1%
- Usually needs
- Master's degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- An internship or residency
People usually enter this job through an internship or a residency rather than from a classroom course alone. Ask the provider whether this program leads to one.
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: Master's degree — 67% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: Master's degree. 29% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 2%
- High school diploma
- 4%
- Started college, no degree
- 5%
- Two-year degree
- 4%
- Four-year degree
- 14%
- Master's degree
- 67%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 4%
Program details
This is a hybrid or blended program providing both in-person and online instruction.
UC San Diego Extended Studies' Professional Certificate Program in Substance Use Disorder Counseling provides the comprehensive course work and training needed to succeed in a very challenging and demanding career in the healthcare field. The program is designed for individuals interested in getting started in the field, as well as those working in it. NOTE: Individuals entering the program should have at least one year of sobriety, if applicable. Having less than that will make it very difficult to secure a practicum site, which could significantly delay or prevent completion of the program.PracticumA practicum is also required to earn the certificate. In order to participate in it, you must have minimally completed and passed (C- or better) the following courses (preferably all courses should be completed first):Addiction and Recovery: Etiology and PhysiologyAddiction Science: Psychology and PharmacologyLaw and Ethics for Addiction ProfessionalsApplied Skills for Group Dynamics and FacilitationSubstance Use Disorder Treatment and RecoveryDuring the practicum, students will gain experience and supervision in the core areas of intake, counseling, case management, crisis intervention, client education, referral, reports, record keeping, and consultation. The practicum consists of 55 educational hours and a minimum of 255 hours at the approved agency. In addition, students will attend three (3) required practicum meetings pursuant to the quarter in which they are enrolled.Through the course of the certificate program, students willlearn to operate in real-world situations, culminating with field-based practical experienceobtain focused career-oriented training in a field with increasing demand for trained professionalsreceive the educational background to enter into or advance within the addiction counseling discipline meet CCAPP CADC-I and CADTP SUDCC certification educational requirements.
Someone else may be able to pay for this
This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-08-04). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.
The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California
Metro Career CenterAffiliate site
Phone: 619-319-9675 and 619-266-4253
4389 Imperial AvenueSan Diego, CA 92113about 14.3 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Has a veterans' representative
East County Career CenterAffiliate site
Phone: 619-319-9675
151 Van Houten AvePCGEl Cajon, CA 92020about 16.4 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am- 5:00pm
South Bay Career CenterComprehensive center
Phone: 619-319-9675
333 H StreetSouth Bay Career Bldg. Suite 1055Chula Vista, CA 91910about 19.1 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5 :00p.m.
Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.
Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List
How this gets paid for, and what to ask →
Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.
The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.
How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →