Mission

The mission of the Minority Counselor Training Institute is to develop racial and ethnic minority professionals who are committed to providing quality, culturally competent, sensitive addiction counseling services.

Goals

The goals of the Minority Counselor Training Institute are to provide ethnic minority candidates with mentoring, guidance, and support as they pursue the training and education that is required to become Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors and Certified Clinical Supervisors. The education and training curriculum is designed to meet the academic and clinical requirements of the Wisconsin Certification Board (WCB), the Department of Regulation and Licensing (DRL) as well as the Certificated Clinical (CCS) credential.

These program goals are accomplished by offering the following:

• Enrollment of a diverse adult population.
  
  
• Experienced and knowledgeable training facilitators.
  
  
• Experienced Career Counselors as mentors.
  
  
• Training opportunities in college and universities throughout the state.
  
  
• Paid clinical internships in AODA clinical settings.
  
  
• Credit for Human Services coursework toward academic degrees.
  
  
• Education and training for the Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) credential.
  
  

Who should join Minority Counselor Training Institute?

This program is best suited to those who already possess some knowledge and skills about substance abuse and addiction. Minority Counselor Training Institute respects the experience and knowledge of participants and builds on this foundation to enhance professional development.

For registration form, contact WAAOA office: Chysandra.waaoda@tds.net or angie.waaoda@tds.net.

In order to be enrolled as Minority Counselor Training Institute enrollees, all prospective enrollees must meet the Minority Counselor Training Institute enrollment requirements:

• Minority status
  
  
• Wisconsin residency
  
  
• No less than a high school degree or equivalent
  
  
• Successfully completed HFS 12 and HFS 13 Care Giver background check
  
  
• Verified documentation of one year of employment or volunteer work in a related AODA profession within the last two years
  
  
• Three letters of personal references
  
  
• Signed assurance of continued employment in the field for at least three years
  
  
• Prior to receiving any Minority Counselor Training Institute services all eligible Minority AODA Counselor Training Institute enrollees will attend a Minority Counselor Training Institute Professional Readiness Course
  
  

Service Level Description

Minority Counselor Training Institute enrollees enter the program at various points in their formal education, training and work experience. In order to address these differences, Minority AODA Counselor Training Institute places enrollees into one of four training levels according to their experiences:

Level 1: At Level 1 enrollees are expected to:

• Make a commitment to participate in Minority Counselor Training Institute education and training (E&T) toward Wisconsin Certification Board (WCB) status as Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CADC);
  
  
• Possess a strong desire to achieve 360 E&T hours and 4,000 clinical hours towards CADC;
  
  
• Study The Elements of Substance Use Disorder Counseling manual;
  
  
• Pass the Elements of Substance Use Disorder Counseling Test (Elements Test) or have a Wisconsin Counselor Certification Development Plan (WCCDP) on file with WCB;
  
  
• Develop and maintain an Minority AODA Counselor Training Institute Career Plan to be updated yearly
  
  

Level 2: Level 2 is designed to continue the enrollees' advancement in completing academic and clinical hours for their CADC. Enrollees are expected to:

• Enter with BA, MA or MS degree and work experience in human services, social services, AODA or MH;
  
  
• Achieve WCB status as Registered Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor I (RADC I), having passed the Elements Test and filed a WCCPD;
  
  
• Acquire 4,000 clinical hours under clinical supervision;
  
  
• Pass the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse written counselor certification examination (IC&RC written exam);
  
  
• Begin preparing a WCB Portfolio (certification package);
  
  
• Maintain their Minority Counselor Training Institute Career Plan with yearly update;
  
  

Level 3: At Level 3 enrollees are expected to:

• Have passed the IC&RC written exam;
  
  
• Have acquired 4,000 to 7,000 clinical supervised hours;
  
  
• Have acquired 250 to 360 academic (E & T) hours;
  
  
• Have begun preparing a WCB Portfolio (certification package);
  
  
• Prepare through Career Counselor coaching for the IC&RC Oral Exam (Orals);
• Maintain their Minority Counselor Training Institute Career Plan with yearly update.
  
  

Level 4: At Level 4 enrollees are expected to:

• Have passed the IC&RC Oral Exam and achieved CADC status;
  
  
• Have decided to pursue Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) status or accept Minority Counselor Training Institute E&T guidance and a certificate of completion of Minority Counselor Training Institute services;
  
  
• Prepare for the IC&RC Clinical Supervisor certification written examination (CCS written exam);
  
  
• Prepare a CCS application for CCS I or CCS II status;
  
  
• Attend Minority AODA Counselor Training Institute or other CCS trainings;
  
  
• Pass the CCS written exam;
  
  
• Complete a CCS application for CCS I or CCS II;
  
  
• Achieve CCS status with full completion of Minority Counselor Training Institute services.
  
  

Enrollee Support

Minority Counselor Training Institute provides an environment conducive to the development of professional, minority AODA counselors. Specifically, Minority Counselor Training Institute supports enrollees by offering:

• An enrollment of a diverse adult population;
  
  
• Experienced and knowledgeable training facilitators;
  
  
• Experienced Career Counselors as mentors;
  
  
• Training opportunities in businesses, colleges and universities throughout the state;
  
  
• Paid clinical internships in AODA clinical settings;
  
  
• Credit for Human Services coursework toward academic degrees.
  
  

Minority Counselor Training Institute Advisory Committee

The Minority Counselor Training Institute Advisory Committee meets to give suggestions for ways in which the program can improve the development of minority AODA counselors. In particular, the Advisory Committee seeks to re-shape the workforce in the AODA field to better reflect the demographics of its clients. The Advisory Committee is committed to raising the bar for the education and training of minority counselors in the AODA field.

The goals of the Minority Counselor Training Institute Advisory Committee are as follows:

• Provide guidance and direction to the Minority Counselor Training Institute Career Counselors to upgrade the quality of service to the enrollees;
  
  
• Attract new enrollees from Wisconsin's rich reservoir of diverse cultures;
  
  
• Represent the diversity of Wisconsin in policy consideration both at the Minority AODA Counselor Training Institute level and at other policy-making levels;
  
  
• Explore ways to improve exam performance at all levels;
  
  
• Provide a forum to discuss possible cultural barriers in the learning process;
  
  
• Sustain and support the leadership of Minority Counselor Training Institute in developing successful minority counselors;
  
  
• Develop or cause to be developed innovative multicultural training programs for minority counselors;
  
  
• Aid in the identification of new financial and support resources for the program.
  
  

Advisory Committee Members:

Ashok Bedi, MD

Milwaukee Psychiatric Physicians Chartered

Les Higgenbottom, LCSW

St. Aemilian Lakeside Inc.

Pastor Shawn Green-Smith

Parklawn Christian Center

Judy Vang
Milwaukee Health Service System II

MCTI Trainers:

Robert Carty, LCSW, CADC, CCJP
Great Lakes Addiction Technology Transfer Center,
University of IL-Chicago

Kimberly Jochman, PhD
UW Medical School, Madison WI

David Mays, MD, PhD
Mendota Mental Health, Madison WI

Dennis Markus, LCSW, CADCIII
Gateway Technical College, Racine WI

Merrilee Pickett, MS, CADCD
UW Professional Development & Applied Studies, Madison WI

Kathleen Roblee, PhD
Mooring House, Appleton WI

Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC
Great Lakes Addiction Technology Transfer Center
University of IL-Chicago

Serena Wadhwa, MA, CADC
Great Lakes Addiction Technology Transfer Center
University of IL-Chicago

"Building a workplace of professional minority AODA counselors"