Support Wellness. Restore Hope. Make a Difference.
Are you compassionate, a good listener, and ready to support in difficult moments? San Jacinto College’s Mental Health and Addiction Studies career pathway prepares students to provide specialized services to individuals and families facing mental health challenges and substance use disorders.
Students learn to identify and administer appropriate assessments, observe and document client behavior, assist with activities of daily living, intervene appropriately in crisis situations, and provide counseling and support services under the guidance of licensed professionals. Coursework blends classroom instruction with hands-on practicum experiences in licensed treatment and clinical settings, ensuring graduates are job-ready and confident in real-world environments.
Graduates of this stackable program pathway are prepared for roles in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, outpatient clinics, residential treatment facilities, schools, veterans’ affairs clinics, pain management clinics, research facilities, and counseling centers.
Whether supporting recovery, stabilizing crises, or helping individuals rebuild their lives, this pathway equips students with the skills to serve with professionalism, empathy, and impact.
Career Opportunities and Income
Visit sanjac.edu for information regarding career opportunities and potential earnings in the Greater Houston region.
Job Entry Requirements. The College informs all students in this program who may have a criminal background that a criminal history could keep graduates from being licensed by the state of Texas. Students with any questions about their background and licensure may speak with the program’s department chair. This is in accordance with Texas House Bill 1508 amendments to Texas Occupations Code Sec 53.152.
Learning & Career Pathway
This instructional pathway - a series of related and “stacked” certificates and degrees - includes the following awards. As you begin the program, you may earn certificates on your way to completing the degree.
- Mental Health Technician Occupational Certificate (1 years)
- Substance Use Disorder Counseling Occupational Certificate (1 year)
- Substance Use Disorder Counseling Level 2 Certificate (1.5 years)
- Mental Health Clinical and Counseling Psychology, Associate of Applied Science (2 years)
Career Skills and Learning Outcomes
A student completing the last award in the pathway will be able to:
- Determine biological, psychological, and socio-cultural causes for substance use and mental health disorders.
- Illustrate how substance use, and mental health disorders are impacted by inequities within heath care and approach treatment through a social justice lens.
- Design and implement wholistic, client-centered, trauma-informed, evidenced-based treatment plans for substance use disorders.
- Summarize documentation requirements as regulated by TAC 448 and Texas Mental Health Code for both mental health techs and substance use counselors.
- Operate according to the laws of client confidentiality based on 42 CFR Part 2 and other state and federal regulations.
- Apply the elements of multicultural competency when working with clients in a substance use and/or mental health setting.
- Utilize an ethical model to recognize and resolve dilemmas and identify resources of support.
- Explain the medical model of addiction and pharmacological effects of substances on the brain and body.
- Uphold national and local codes of professional ethics, including NAADAC and HHS.
- Collaborate with recovery-oriented systems of care to provide a continuum of care to clients.
- Assess for substance use and co-occurring disorders using industry standard measures to inform treatment approaches.
- Assess clients in crisis situations and provide appropriate interventions.
- Evaluate effective work within a multi-disciplinary team.
- Determine the importance of and ways to implement continued professional development.
- Apply entry level knowledge of and competency within the 12 Core Functions/KSAs of a substance use disorder counselor during externship.
- Apply the skills required of a mental health technician during externship.
License or Certification
For more information about the Mental Health Technician or Substance Use Disorder Counseling programs, please contact the Mental Health and Addiction Studies Program. Email: mentalhealthservices@sjcd.edu
To obtain a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor credential, graduates must also complete 4,000 hours (two years) of supervised work experience and successfully pass the state licensing examination.
Students planning advanced licensure (e.g., LPC, LCSW, Psychologist) must pursue graduate-level education.
External Learning Experiences
This program includes external learning experiences outside of the classroom, e.g., an internship, externship, clinical, practicum, or cooperative learning experience. Those experiences are typically on-site at a business or organization.
All students participating in external learning experiences are required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the external learning sites. Some learning sites outside the college have their own vaccination requirements. These rules come from those facilities and are not mandated by the college. Failure to meet those immunization requirements may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the external learning site.
Locations
College Admissions
San Jacinto College is an open-admission institution. All students are welcome to apply. Get started on the "How to Apply" webpage.
Program Admissions
There are no additional admission requirements for the Mental Health program; students only need to complete the application to the College, as noted in “College Admission” above, and follow the enrollment steps.
Plan of Study
5MH-SUDC
| First Term | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| DAAC 1311 | Counseling Theories | 3 |
| DAAC 1304 | Pharmacology of Substance Use Disorders | 3 |
| PSYC 2301 | General Psychology | 3 |
| SCWK 1303 | Ethics for Social Service Professionals | 3 |
| PSYT 2331 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Term | ||
| DAAC 2307 | Family Intervention with Substance Use Disorders | 3 |
| PSYT 2345 | Principles of Behavior Management and Modification | 3 |
| SCWK 2301 | Assessment and Case Management | 3 |
| DAAC 2341 | Counseling of Substance Use Disorders | 3 |
| PSYT 2301 | Psychology of Group Dynamics | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Term | ||
| DAAC 2366 | Practicum - Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
Capstone Experience: DAAC 2366 Practicum - Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling
Note: Students must pass each course listed in the degree or certificate for Mental Health Services with a grade of C or higher to be eligible to receive a degree or certificate.