Continuing Education

Substance Use Disorders and Treatments

Comprehensive Approaches to Addiction and Recovery

Social Work Education

About The Course

Course Title: Substance Use Disorders and Treatments​

Learning Method: Record asynchronous distance (non-interactive). This course includes a recorded video and access to the presented resources.

Amount of CE Credit Offered: 1 credit (general)

Fees: This course can be purchased individually for $25 or as part of an annual unlimited continuing education subscription available for $99/year.

Posttest: Following the course, the participant will take a 10 question posttest. A score of 70% correct is required to pass and obtain a certificate. If you do not pass the posttest, it can be re-taken after fully reviewing the materials again. 

Certificate of CompletionIn order to receive a certificate of completion, you must indicate that you’ve watched the entire video portion of the course, earn a passing grade on the test, and complete the requested course evaluation.

Description of the Course:

Why is understanding this topic important?

1. Prevalence of Substance Use Disorders:

Substance use disorders are widespread, affecting millions of individuals and their families, leading to significant social, economic, and health consequences. Addressing these disorders effectively is crucial for public health and community well-being.

2. Impact of Trauma on Addiction:

Trauma is a significant underlying factor in many substance use disorders, and understanding this relationship is essential for providing comprehensive and effective treatment. Trauma-informed care can greatly enhance recovery outcomes by addressing root causes.

3. Evolving Treatment Approaches:

The field of substance use treatment is constantly evolving with new research and therapeutic approaches, such as EMDR and family-inclusive strategies. Staying informed and adapting to these advancements is vital for clinicians to provide the best possible care.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Implementing Trauma-Informed Care Practices: Identify and integrate at least three trauma-informed care practices into their current clinical work with clients dealing with substance use disorders.

  2. Utilizing EMDR in Substance Use Treatment: Students will be able to outline the steps to become proficient in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and describe how they would apply EMDR techniques to treat clients with substance use disorders.

  3. Enhancing Family Involvement in Treatment Plans: Design a family-inclusive treatment plan for clients with substance use disorders, emphasizing the role of family dynamics in recovery.

Target Audience: 

Masters and Clinical level licensees pursuing continuing education.

Content Level:

Both beginning and intermediate-level content are included in this course.

Instructor Bio(s):

Alex Ribbentrop, LCSW-QS, EMDR Clinician, CFTP, CCTP-II

Alex is a psychotherapist specializing in complex trauma, family, and recovery.

He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia and Florida, a Qualified Supervisor, EMDR Trained Clinician, and a Certified Family Trauma Professional.

Alex is the founder of Live Free Psychotherapy, a practice providing psychotherapy and clinical consultation with locations in Palm Beach County, Florida, and Northern Virginia.

Alex worked in South Florida after graduate school during one of the most challenging periods of the opioid epidemic. He saw firsthand how overwhelmed the system was and how inadequate treatment options and approaches were in many ways. For him, it highlighted how much we have to learn and really spurred an interest in further understanding the etiology of presenting issues. This led him more and more into the role of inter-generational considerations and developmental/complex trauma.

Meagan Mitchell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has been providing individualized and group instruction for over 7 years.

Meagan is currently a Child and Adolescent Therapist with The Sibley Group in Washington, DC. She is working towards her Play Therapy credential. Meagan is also the founder of Agents of Change Social Work Test Prep – a learning platform and community designed for social workers preparing for their licensing exams.

She loves combining her passion for learning and sharing her knowledge with the social work community. Meagan has a strong interest in tech & and innovation, specifically exploring the intersection of technology with social work practices. She is also passionate about multicultural supervision & and ethics; ensuring diverse voices are heard, understood, and supported in supervision and consultation.

Lastly, Meagan is currently a DSW student at SUNY Buffalo.

Course Outline:

1) Introduction

  • Speaker Introductions: Meagan Mitchell and Alex Ribbentrop
  • Course Objectives and Overview

2) Understanding Substance Use Disorders

  • Definitions and Key Concepts
  • Prevalence and Impact of Addiction
  • Developmental Stages of Drug Exposure

3) Trauma-Informed Care Practices

  • Implementing Trauma-Informed Approaches
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Their Impact
  • EMDR Therapy: Overview and Application

4) Family Involvement in Treatment

  • Importance of Family Support
  • Strategies for Engaging Families
  • Case Examples and Success Stories

5) Risk Factors and Treatment Approaches

  • Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors

  • Co-occurring Disorders and Their Management

  • Evidence-Informed Treatment Strategies
  • Intensity and Severity of Interventions

Course Creation Date: 7/27/24 

Requesting Accessibility Accommodations:

Please email [email protected] to request accessibility accommodations.

ACE Approval Statement: 

Agents of Change, #1919, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 7/26/2023 – 7/26/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1 continuing education credit.

System Requirements:

  • The most recent version of Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge browser
  • Javascript enabled
  • PDF plugin
  • Graphic and audio output capability
  • Broadband internet connection with a minimum speed of 5Mbps (recommended)
  • TLS 1.2 supported by your web browser

Refund PolicyIn general, refunds will not be provided. However, if you do have any concerns or grievances, please contact us at the email address below. Registrants who do not complete their course(s) will not receive a refund. Registrants who purchased the course but did not achieve a passing grade will not receive a refund. The Agents of Change Grievance Policy can be viewed here.

Cancellation Policy: If an Agents of Change Continuing Education course is canceled, a full refund will be provided to all participants.

Please email [email protected] with any questions about the course.

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Your Continuing Education Includes

Audio + Visual Content

We design our continuing education to support all learning styles. Each topic includes engaging videos and visual slides. With your purchase, you also get access to on-the-go audio resources.

High Quality Materials

Build your understanding with high quality materials and comprehensive explanations. Agents of Change will help you master the topics you need to know to build your career.

PEER + Email Support

With your purchase, you'll be invited to the Agents of Change community, a supporting skill building environment. You'll also have access to the Agents of Change team for any questions!