Substance Abuse Research Paper
ADDICTION COUNSELING COMPETENCIES
The Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes of Professional Practice
Technical Assistance Publication (TAP) Series
21
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Substance Abuse Treatment 1 Choke Cherry Road Rockville, MD 20857
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A number of people deserve recognition for their tireless and dedicated work on this document. The publication was originally conceived and written by the National Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Curriculum Committee. The Committee, one of six national committees designed to serve the ATTC Network, comprises representatives from several ATTC Regional Centers and the ATTC National …show more content…
Counselors come to this important work by various paths and with vastly different skills and experience. The diversity of backgrounds and types of preparation can be a strength, provided there is a common foundation from which counselors work. This publication addresses the following questions: What professional standards should guide substance abuse treatment counselors? What is an appropriate scope of practice for the field? Which competencies are associated with positive outcomes? What knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) should all substance abuse treatment professionals have in common? Workforce development is essential to the field of substance use disorder treatment. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has included workforce development in its Matrix of Priority Programs. A major focus of this workforce development strategy is improving the competencies of professionals in the field. This updated edition of Technical Assistance Publication (TAP) 21: Addiction Counseling Competencies: The Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes of Professional Practice (The Competencies) is a key component of that strategy. In 1998, in cooperation with its Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network, SAMHSA published TAP 21, a comprehensive list of 123 competencies that substance abuse treatment counselors should master to do their work effectively. TAP 21 has been used to develop and evaluate addiction counseling curricula, advise students, and assess counseling proficiencies. The overarching competencies in this updated version of TAP 21 remain largely unchanged from the original TAP 21. The KSAs have been changed from those in the 1998 edition when necessary, in light of new thinking in the field. The competencies and the KSAs
The Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes of Professional Practice
Technical Assistance Publication (TAP) Series
21
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Substance Abuse Treatment 1 Choke Cherry Road Rockville, MD 20857
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A number of people deserve recognition for their tireless and dedicated work on this document. The publication was originally conceived and written by the National Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Curriculum Committee. The Committee, one of six national committees designed to serve the ATTC Network, comprises representatives from several ATTC Regional Centers and the ATTC National …show more content…
Counselors come to this important work by various paths and with vastly different skills and experience. The diversity of backgrounds and types of preparation can be a strength, provided there is a common foundation from which counselors work. This publication addresses the following questions: What professional standards should guide substance abuse treatment counselors? What is an appropriate scope of practice for the field? Which competencies are associated with positive outcomes? What knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) should all substance abuse treatment professionals have in common? Workforce development is essential to the field of substance use disorder treatment. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has included workforce development in its Matrix of Priority Programs. A major focus of this workforce development strategy is improving the competencies of professionals in the field. This updated edition of Technical Assistance Publication (TAP) 21: Addiction Counseling Competencies: The Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes of Professional Practice (The Competencies) is a key component of that strategy. In 1998, in cooperation with its Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network, SAMHSA published TAP 21, a comprehensive list of 123 competencies that substance abuse treatment counselors should master to do their work effectively. TAP 21 has been used to develop and evaluate addiction counseling curricula, advise students, and assess counseling proficiencies. The overarching competencies in this updated version of TAP 21 remain largely unchanged from the original TAP 21. The KSAs have been changed from those in the 1998 edition when necessary, in light of new thinking in the field. The competencies and the KSAs