Institution Submitting Proposal:
UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY
College:
Humanities and Social Sciences
Department or Area in Which Program
Will Be Located:
Behavioral Science
Program Title:
Certificate of Proficiency in Licensed
Substance Abuse Counseling
Proposed Beginning Date:
Fall, 2011
Institutional Signatures:
_____________________________________________
Matthew S. Holland, University President
Utah Valley University
______________________________________________
Ian Wilson
Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs
_______________________________________________
David Yells
Dean
_______________________________________________
Steven Clark
Department Chair
Date: 09/22/2010
Section I: Request
Utah Valley University requests approval to offer a Certificate of Proficiency in Licensed Substance Abuse
Counseling (LSAC) effective Fall semester, 2011. All of the courses for the proposed certificate have been
developed and successfully piloted. The program will consist of 24 credits of online coursework designed to
be completed in one calendar year. The program will also include an internship requirement of 300 hours of
field work in a substance abuse treatment facility. Following successful completion of the program,
graduates will become qualified to complete a 2000 hour supervised clinical experience and then take the
state licensing exam. This action was approved by the UVU Board of Trustees on September 9, 2010.
Section II: Need
The state of Utah is experiencing a shortage of front-line workers in the field of substance abuse treatment,
while the number of residents requiring such services continues to increase
(http://www.dsamh.utah.gov/docs/2009_annual_report_for_web.pdf). This program will significantly
increase the number of Licensed Substance Abuse counselors available to provide services to individuals
suffering from issues related to substance abuse.
This program is needed to address the growing incidence of substance abuse in the State of Utah. This
includes illegal drug abuse (e.g. cocaine, heroin) as well as legal drug abuse (e.g. alcohol, pain
medications). For example, prescription drug overdoses have increased by 500 percent over the last
decade (http://www.dsamh.utah.gov/docs/2009_annual_report_for_web.pdf). The Utah County Division of
Substance Abuse estimates that only 50 percent of individuals with substance abuse problems are able to
access front line substance abuse counseling. That office, as well as numerous substance abuse treatment
facilities throughout the state, is having difficulty hiring qualified workers. Currently, the University of Utah
offers an LSAC program, but it is limited in capacity and in the ability to serve prospective students outside
of the greater Salt Lake City area.
Nationally, employment of substance abuse counselors is predicted to increase by 21 percent over the next
decade, which is significantly higher than the average for all occupations.
In Utah, Mental Health/Substance Abuse work is projected to have the 4th greatest number of job openings
among all occupations over the next 5 years (http://jobs.utah.gov/wi/pubs/outlooks/state/joboutlook09.pdf).
Growth will be particularly strong in rural areas, which the proposed program is designed to serve by
offering the program via the internet.
Currently, an average of 3 students per week contact UVU requesting information about a possible
program in Substance Abuse Counseling. This figure is based on the past six months and includes
telephone calls and e-mails to David Yells, developer of the proposal, and three advisors in the Behavioral
Science Department. Several courses have been piloted over the last 18 months with enrollments from 5 to
15 students per course. Additionally, professionals in the substance abuse field have been in contact with
UVU regarding the program and have expressed an interest in having UVU students fulfill internship
requirements at their facilities. A list of 30 internship sites throughout the state has been developed. Finally,
representatives from Vocational Rehabilitation have also been in regular contact regarding this proposed
program.
The University of Utah offers a similar program in a standard in-class format. The demand for such a
program is beginning to exceed their capacity. Additionally, the in-class nature of their program does not
effectively serve the entire state of Utah. UVU’s on-line program would be a valuable addition for residents
throughout the state. Currently, UVU has students from Delta, Vernal, Cedar City, and Price, for example,
who would find it difficult, if not impossible, to attend the program at the University of Utah. The main
difference between the programs is that the UVU program would be delivered via on-line instruction,
whereas the University of Utah’s program is in-class. Both programs require the same number of credit
hours, the same number of internship hours, and are designed to be completed in a single calendar year.
Section III: Institutional Impact
The proposed program will not significantly affect enrollment in instructional programs of affiliated
departments or programs. There will be no changes in existing administrative structures. There will be no
changes in faculty or staff. No new or modified physical facilities will be required.
Section IV: Finances
No costs are anticipated from this change. The program will be self-funded through tuition revenue. There
should be no budgetary impact on other programs or units within the institution.