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Controversial plan for Hillsborough drug rehab center called off
HILLSBOROUGH — A proposed drug rehab facility unpopular with residents has been withdrawn from planning board consideration by the applicant. Harding Corona LLC has withdrawn its application for a residential drug rehabilitation center on Route 206, …
Read more on The Star-Ledger – NJ.com

Northbound Treatment Services Renews Successful Holistic Approach
As government promotes and expands use of pharmaceutical drugs in treatment of substance abuse, Northbound Treatment Services addiction treatment holds steadfast on their commitment to tried, but true holistic solutions. Their answer to drug abuse and …
Read more on DigitalJournal.com (press release)

Substance-abuse counselor accused in fatal DUI charged with murder
The substance-abuse counselor accused of killing a Torrance man while driving drunk was charged with murder Tuesday and faces life in prison if convicted, prosecutors said. Sherri Wilkins, 51, was scheduled to be arraigned sometime Tuesday on felony …
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Drug Counselor Accused of DUI in Deadly Hit-and-Run Pleads Not Guilty
A substance abuse counselor accused of crashing into a pedestrian and driving for about two miles with the victim embedded in the vehicle's windshield pleaded not guilty Monday in connection with the man's death. Sherri Lynn Wilkins, 51, was in court …
Read more on NBC Southern California

Certified Alcohol Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC
We are currently looking for someone with strong verbal and writing skills, substance abuse work experience, good assessment & team player skills, able to make field visits, and has knowledge of child welfare policies and has preventive experience …
Read more on CityLimits.org

Question by Danyel: What type of education would I need to become an RN at a substance abuse detox facility?
I am currently going to school for pre-health with a nursing concentration, until I have the requirements to apply for nursing. I would like to be able to work as an RN in a substance abuse facility. I was wondering if anyone could give me any advise as to how to go about doing this? I do not know if I will need to specialize in a certain area in order to do so or not? If anyone could help me out in regards to what to do education wise I would really appreciate it! Thanks!

Best answer:

Answer by MeMeMe
Hi,

First off, good for you for wanting to work in addiction treatment! I’m an addictions counselor and have been working in mental health (mostly suicide prevention) for 7 years and we certainly need more qualified RNs in the field. So I think you will have an easy time finding work once you’re finished with school.

As for your question… To become an RN, you need to go to nursing school. Although I’m sure you already know this. As for specializing in addiction treatment, I don’t believe there are any additional requirements, but it would be good if you have experience working with addicts or at least a greater knowledge of treating clients with addiction. So I would suggest trying to get an internship of some sort with a treatment center in your area. They may not let you do much while you’re in school, but you will be able to put it on your resume. You can learn a lot from observing how things work in treatment. The other suggestion I have would be to take some extra classes that focus on substance abuse. Drug addicts and alcoholics face a variety of special issues separate from the “normal” population you would be working with in a hospital. Most community colleges and some universities now offer programs where you can learn more about these issues. I don’t know where you live, but you may want to start looking for college programs titled “Addictions Counseling” or “Addictions Studies.” Classes you may want to take would be any type of pharmacology, a bloodborne pathogens/infectious disease class, and even alternative treatments to addiction classes. It could also help to take a few classes for addictions counselors like group therapy, individual therapy, or something similar. These will definitely help you in the future in terms of communicating with your clients.

The most important thing I would think an RN working in addiction should have to be educated about is prescription drugs of abuse. Normally when I do an intake on a client coming into treatment, they have been medically prescribed multiple addictive drugs that only contribute to and exacerbate their disease (addiction). Usually these include opiate painkillers, benzodiazepines, and other sedatives and tranquilizers. I had a client once who was on NINE different benzos which she had been on for years, all prescribed by doctors for things like insomnia, anxiety, and even hypothyroidism. This is so egregious and disgusting to me! They were killing her. She obviously had to be medically detoxed for risk of seizures and death from her meds. And needless to say, after being evaluated by our MD, she didn’t NEED any of the pills.

Anyway, I’m rambling. Just excited to see someone wanting to help in the field of addiction treatment. It is rare these days, it seems. But what a satisfying and rewarding job. Good luck to you!!!

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

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Addicts overwhelm Kentucky's drug treatment options
Following an arrest due to drug charges, Crouch spent time in jail waiting to get in to a rehab and two more weeks following her release on Sept. 1, 2012. 'I wish I could have went in right after I was arrested. It would have been a lot better. It's …
Read more on The Courier-Journal

Drug overdose deaths up 296 percent from 2000 to 2010 in Kentucky
Karen Kelly, head of Operation UNITE, said the findings match what her agency has witnessed in the 29 Eastern and southern Kentucky counties where it investigates drug crimes and provides education and drug treatment. "We've seen an overwhelming …
Read more on Lexington Herald Leader

Oregon finds efforts to treat drug addicts paying off
The Oregon Health Authority is spending about $ 51 million annually on substance abuse treatment — up $ 11 million from six years ago. Kentucky's Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities spends $ 29 million a year, and …
Read more on USA TODAY

Minneapolis-based drug treatment program fined
Minnesota regulators have disciplined a Minneapolis chemical dependency treatment provider they say violated policies regarding the use of methadone in treating opiate addiction. Specialized Treatment Services, which applied for a license to operate a …
Read more on Pioneer Press

Oregon finds efforts to treat drug addicts paying off
"Oregon is a good state for treatment," said Liz Smith, a 35-year-old recovering prescription-drug addict from Portland who entered an intensive residential program in 2010 and is now sober. "We have an abundance of treatment centers and detox centers, …
Read more on USA TODAY

Addicts overwhelm Kentucky's drug treatment options
“Despite a historic recession, Kentucky has expanded its support of substance abuse treatment programs over the past few years as part of the administration's overall effort to combat drug abuse,” Richardson said. But officials and experts agree …
Read more on The Courier-Journal