Northeastern Junior College hosted state Sen. Byron Pelton and representatives from the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration on Thursday to promote the college’s new Master’s Program in Accelerated Addiction Counseling developed in partnership with Colorado State University.

This innovative program aims to equip students with the necessary skills and credentials to become licensed addiction counselors in as little as five years. The partnership between NJC and CSU was developed in response to a locally identified need for trained addiction treatment professionals equipped to provide critical services to those struggling with substance use disorders, particularly in rural areas of Colorado.

Late. Pelton and representatives from BHA were joined by administrators and faculty from NJC and CSU for a presentation that highlighted the collaboration between the two institutions to address gaps in healthcare access by developing the next generation of trained addiction professionals serving Northeast Colorado and beyond.

“We couldn’t be more excited,” said an emotional Celestate Delgado-Pelton, chair of NJC’s Liberal Arts and Academic Opportunity. “This has been a really long journey and one that we are so excited and proud to officially throw it out into the world today.”

The program came about as a result of a discussion in the fall of 2018 that Senator Peloton, then Logan County Commissioner, had with Delgado-Pelton and Logan County Human Services Director Dave Long about the shortage of substance abuse counselors in Northeast and Eastern Colorado. At the time, it was scarce in the area and in 2019 alone, 68 children in Logan County were removed from their homes for neglect by court order due to methamphetamine use by parents. It hit the county hard because the child welfare grant was overspent by $1.3 million.

“This was something we needed to address for families, for recovering addicts and just a general labor shortage issue,” Delgado-Pelton said.

After years of work by individuals at NJC, CSU, BHA and the former Colorado Office of Behavioral Health, and Senator Pelton, who was part of Governor Jared Polis’ Behavioral Health Task Force, the program is now underway with the first class of first-year students taking courses. They hope to have a small cohort of students starting work on bachelor’s degrees in the spring or fall of 2025 at the latest.

Designed specifically for rural students, this unique accelerated pathway allows students to complete their two-year associate degree at NJC before seamlessly transitioning to CSU’s online-based program where they will earn their bachelor’s and master’s degrees over three years. The final year of the accelerated program includes an internship component to meet state certification and licensure requirements.

Class sizes will be limited to 12 students and the program has a flat tuition fee for all three of the student’s years at CSU, an estimated savings of $15,000. a licensed professional counselor. Students who graduate will be eligible to become licensed addiction counselors, but even if they do not complete the master’s degree the year after earning their bachelor’s degree, they will still be eligible to become certified addiction specialists or certified addiction technicians.

Students in the program will be assisted by the CSU Regional Engagement Center, which will offer personalized services and a local face should students need that interaction.

“This amazing partnership not only fills a critical need in our region, but allows students to remain in Northeast Colorado where they work and socialize, while learning addiction counseling skills,” said NJC President Mike White.

Following the presentation, Senator Pelton’s staff hosted a press conference to celebrate the program’s launch and highlight the impact of the NJC-CSU partnership. In his remarks, Senator Pelton said, “It has been an honor to be a part of this six-year process. To highlight two outstanding institutions that have come together to build a great partnership that will help fill a significant gap in workforce, strengthening behavioral health and bringing families together by providing counseling to those suffering from addiction and reuniting children with their families.”

“Congratulations to the partners who inspired and launched this program,” said James Pritchett, Vice President of Engagement and Extension at CSU. “The vision is simple – connect students who are invested in the resilience of their communities with talented instructors and impactful learning. It’s in that context that we make a difference.”

For more information about the Accelerated Addiction Counseling Master’s Program, contact Alisha Kaufmann, NJC Behavioral Health Career Navigator at (970) 521-6912 or [email protected].

To learn more about CSU Online, go to https://online.colosate.edu.

NJC is currently collecting scholarships to support students in the new Accelerated Addiction Counseling Master’s program. To support students, go to njc.edu/foundation or call 970-521-6777. Every tax-deductible donation makes an impact, big or small.

Originally published: 25 October 2024 at 9.33