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Scholarship money is available for students interested in enrolling in a Raritan Valley Community College program designed to train them to become Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors (CADCs). The maximum award is $2000 per student.

Scholarships will cover approximately four of the six courses in RVCC’s Certificate of Completion in Chemical Dependency program. The classes are required to qualify for the CADC credential awarded by the NJ Department of Consumer Affairs’ state licensing body. Upon completion of coursework, students begin gaining practical experience through placement in a supervised substance abuse setting as they meet the full requirements for certification.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for substance abuse counselors was expected to grow by 31 percent from 2012-2022.

In response to the rise in addiction and heroin deaths across the state, in 2014 RVCC launched a program to prepare students to become Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors (CADCs), a nationally recognized credential in substance abuse treatment. The College received a $487,444 grant from the Federal Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to prepare paraprofessionals working with adolescents and transitional age youth who are at-risk for developing or who have developed a recognized behavioral health disorder. The bulk of the funding must be awarded directly to students to offset tuition and textbook costs to get them into school and on their way to a career in substance abuse treatment. As the program enters the final year of funding, approximately $100,000 remains to support another 40 or so students in pursuing a career in substance abuse treatment.

For additional information about enrolling in the substance abuse program or RVCC’s Associate Degree in Human Services/Pre-Social Work, contact Karen Gutshall-Seidman at karen.gutshall-seidman@raritanval.edu.

Raritan Valley Community College’s main campus is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. Serving Somerset and Hunterdon County residents for close to 50 years, RVCC is an educational and cultural center that is nationally recognized for its innovative programming, service to the community and environmental leadership. The College offers more than 90 associate degrees and certificates, as well as career training, professional development and personal enrichment courses. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 3, 2017

Media contact: Donna Stolzer, 908-526-1200, ext. 8383

PR #91