Social Work and Child Advocacy
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Harm Reduction Approaches to Substance Use – Graduate Certificate (Online)

This graduate certificate will introduce students to the concept of harm reduction, discuss a range of harm reduction services and programs in the United States and beyond, and offer practical training on non-stigmatizing, social justice-oriented, and trauma-informed engagement strategies with people who use drugs. The certificate consists of three, 3-credit courses (i.e., 9 credits in total), offered in an asynchronous online format to provide optimal flexibility for students and professionals from various human service disciplines.

Students who complete the certificate will be able to:

  1. Identify major drug classifications, their routes of administration and neurobehavioral effects, and describe the major differences in current intervention approaches (i.e., abstinence-focused vs. harm reduction-focused).
  2. Define harm reduction and describe the major principles of harm reduction work.
  3. Describe the historical and social contexts of harm reduction work in the United States and other parts of the world.
  4. Demonstrate familiarity with a range of harm reduction interventions (e.g., syringe access programs, distribution of naloxone, medication-assisted treatment, supervised consumption sites), and the evidence base for their effectiveness.
  5. Demonstrate an understanding of major principles for client engagement using a harm reduction lens, and its therapeutic benefits to people who use drugs.
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Note:

  • Current graduate students enrolled in the Master of Social Work (MSW) program can complete the Harm Reduction Certificate as part of their elective coursework (i.e., with no additional tuition).
  • Non-degree students taking the certificate as a post-BA credential can transfer all 9 credits into the MSW program if they are accepted (please note that completing the certificate does not guarantee acceptance into the MSW program).

Contact:

Svetlana Shpiegel, Ph.D, M.S.W.
Associate Professor and Certificate Coordinator
Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy
Shpeigels@montclair.edu

Jacqueline Catalano, MS
Program Manager
Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy
catalanoj@montclair.edu
973-655-6971