HAMBURG, N.Y. – Hilbert College and BestSelf Behavioral Health announced an agreement to deliver Hilbert’s associate degree in alcohol and substance abuse counseling to BestSelf employees. The partnership, which will begin this summer, ensures tuition for this program will not exceed BestSelf’s employee tuition benefit. BestSelf employees can learn more about this opportunity on Hilbert’s website.
Hilbert’s two-year program consists of 20 courses, including the course sequence needed for Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC) certification. The program is designed to allow a student to complete the degree in an online or hybrid model.
“BestSelf is pleased to partner with Hilbert College to provide this educational opportunity for our employees, “said Elizabeth Woike-Ganga, LCSW-R, President & CEO of BestSelf Behavioral Health. “It is important we have a well-trained, highly skilled workforce to meet the increasing demand for our services. The goal of our tuition assistance program is to support our employees while they are enhancing their skills through education and training. This partnership will be one more option for our employees to advance their careers at BestSelf.”
“Hilbert College is thrilled to be able to establish this agreement with BestSelf,” Hilbert President Dr. Michael Brophy said. “Our tremendous and talented faculty in the human services department are excited to begin collaborating with the dedicated personnel at BestSelf, the foremost behavioral health organization in WNY.”
The alcohol and substance abuse counseling program prepares students to meet the competencies outlined by the NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), in partial fulfillment of the Certified Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) credential. Students who have successfully completed the program are eligible to apply for the CASAC-T credential through OASAS, which is a requirement for most entry-level positions.
This associate degree program prepares students for entry-level positions in human service and substance-related fields. Alcohol and substance abuse professionals are employed in a variety of settings, including those providing prevention and treatment services to children and adults through inpatient, outpatient, community-based, and residential programs.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 25 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth is expected as people continue to seek addiction and mental health counseling services.” More information on Hilbert’s alcohol and substance abuse counseling program is available here.
Hilbert College, located in suburban Hamburg, N.Y., south of Buffalo, is a private four-year college founded in 1957 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition. With over 800 students, Hilbert is a dynamic Western New York college that offers career-focused majors, including one of the top criminal justice programs in the region, and more than 50 minors and concentrations. The college’s engaging, student-centered campus community offers numerous leadership, internship, and service learning opportunities from which students launch successful careers while making positive changes in their communities. The Hilbert Blueprint promotes a well-rounded student experience over four years – starting with the Foundations Seminar in the freshman year, followed by Sophomore Service, Junior Symposium, and culminating with the Senior Capstone. Hilbert has expanded its academic offerings with the college’s first graduate programs in criminal justice administration and public administration, including a track in health administration.