From January 1 – March 31, 2019, UC San Diego Extension will offer a topical, interactive Fundamentals of Opiate Addiction course taught by Margaret A. O’Hara, LPCC, LMHC, NCC, DCC, CET II, CASAC, ICADC, HS-BCP, PPS. The 10-week online class will provide parents, teachers, counselors, police officers, social workers and other front-line personnel with helpful, timely and actionable information about this alarming worldwide crisis.
 
An advanced exploration of opiate addiction designed to increase understanding and foster real-world application, the class syllabus will include historical origins and the development of the current opiate addiction epidemic, physiology of opiate addiction, assessment, treatment, case conceptualization, prevention, cultural considerations, the prognosis for the future, and legal/ethical/professional issues. Hands-on activities will include attending a 12-step meeting and visiting a treatment facility.
 
“Opioid addiction has become a ubiquitous and pervasive issue that’s easy to get ahold of but hard to get away from,” explained O’Hara. “As a major global crisis, there’s an imminent need for front-line social services personnel and educators to thoroughly understand opioid addiction and treatment and be able to apply those essential learnings in situations they encounter on a daily basis.”
 

 
“Our dynamic Fundamentals of Opiate Addiction course reflects what’s happening today in our families, our communities, and our nation as a whole,” added Morgan Appel, director of UC San Diego Extension’s Department of Education and Behavioral Sciences. “We’re thrilled to have someone with Margaret’s background and experience lead this class that personifies UC San DiegoExtension’s overarching mission of teaching and service.”
 
Among her impressive list of credentials, O’Hara is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), California Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), and New York State Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor.  With a Master of Science degree in Counseling and more than 20 years counseling experience, O’Hara’s areas of expertise include alcohol and substance use disorders, anxiety/depression, school-related issues, eating issues and disorders, parenting skills, grief/bereavement, stress-related difficulties and trauma.
 
The Fundamentals of Opiate Addiction online course is $395, and can be a stand-alone class or part of UC San Diego Extension’s Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling certificate program.  Enrollment is open now and the initial session will be limited to 25 students. 
 
For more information or to enroll in the class, visit extension.ucsd.edu/opiate-addiction.