The Mental Health & Addiction Support Services program prepares graduates to work alongside social and human service providers — in substance use disorder counseling, psychology, rehabilitation, social work, and family support — helping clients identify and obtain benefits and community services, and assisting counselors and social workers with case management, crisis intervention, client advocacy, prevention and education.
Mental Health & Addiction Support Services tuition and payment periods →
Prepares students for certification with CCAPP, CAADE, and CADTP in California only. Employment opportunities are limited to California since the program meets certification in California only. InterCoast Colleges does not guarantee certification or licensure.
This program provides the necessary knowledge, skill and attitude development needed to be effective in providing specific mental health and/or addiction counseling services. Those services include community integration, intensive case management, assertive community treatment, skills development, and family psycho-education. The program is designed to provide students that do not have prior experience in the field with a competency based educational program in the most time-effective manner available.
The curriculum covers the core knowledge and practical skills employers look for in entry-level candidates.
The program includes a Clinical Internship w/Supervision (5 academic credits) at a school-approved clinical site, where students are supervised by an authorized professional working for the site organization. There is no InterCoast instructor present at the site, and students do not attend campus for this course. Students may choose a clinical setting in mental health or addiction counseling.
Concurrent with the internship, students complete an 8-week Supervised Practicum online, with weekly verbatims, clinical supervision, time sheets, practicum discussion forums, and weekly meetings with the clinical coordinator.
Clinical sites are assigned, on the student's behalf, by the Clinical Coordinator. Students are responsible for parking and transportation to and from the sites.
Agencies in which mental health and addiction studies students may be placed for training often will not accept or hire recovering persons unless they have completed some minimum period (often two or more years) of continuous sobriety and are pursuing an appropriate program of recovery.
The catalog lists these requirements that may be required as part of pre-employment qualifications for hiring, including for clinical internships:
A certificate is not a license.
This program prepares students for certification with CCAPP, CAADE, and CADTP in California. Employment opportunities are limited to California since the program meets certification in California only. InterCoast Colleges does not guarantee that completion of this program will result in certification or licensure. InterCoast does not guarantee employment or any specific outcome.
Graduates of this program may pursue entry-level positions with titles such as:
No specific employment outcome is guaranteed. Labor market conditions vary.
A high school diploma or GED is required for enrollment. Students who do not hold a diploma or GED may qualify under the Ability-to-Benefit (ATB) alternative — speak with an admissions advisor to determine eligibility.
This program is eligible for Title IV federal financial aid. Financial aid is available to those who qualify — not all students will qualify for all types of aid. Contact the financial aid office for a complete picture of your options.
The Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) requires a School Performance Fact Sheet for this program, with completion, placement, licensure-exam and salary data. Review it before you enroll.
All School Performance Fact Sheets and required disclosures →
Coursework is online. The program also includes a clinical internship at a school-approved clinical site, completed with a concurrent online Supervised Practicum; students do not attend campus for the internship.
The Mental Health & Addiction Support Services program is 42 weeks and carries 42 academic credits, including the clinical internship.
It prepares students for certification with CCAPP, CAADE, and CADTP in California only. A certificate is not a license, and InterCoast Colleges does not guarantee certification or licensure. Employment opportunities are limited to California.
Yes. This program is Title IV eligible. Eligible students may qualify for federal financial aid.
Requirements that may apply include CPR/First Aid certification, a drug screen, a TB test, Live Scan, a criminal background check, registration with CCAPP or equivalent with CAADE, and full immunization and vaccination documentation.
The program follows the Track C3 start-date calendar. The next published start dates are October 26, 2026, November 16, 2026, and December 7, 2026. An admissions advisor can confirm the schedule.