About Program
The Addictive Disorders Studies Program at Oxnard College prepares students to enter the field of alcohol/drug counseling with responsibilities for performing intakes and assessments, motivational, supportive and group counseling, crisis intervention, information and referral and case write-ups.
Students completing this program will have the necessary educational and skills requirements to apply for credentialing through a number of professional organizations.
Students may complete their Field Experience hours at any DHCS licensed and/or certified drug/alcohol treatment center or facility within the state of California. Since these are behavioral health treatment sites, some may have their own specific pre-practicum requirements, including, but not limited to, the following:
- CPR/First Aid Certification
- COVID-19 vaccination
- TB screening
- Drug testing/screening
- Live Scan
- Criminal Background Check
Please note that these requirements may not be required of students to enroll in courses in the Ventura County Community College District.
Attendance Policy (from the OC Catalog): It is the student’s responsibility to become aware of the attendance and absence policies of the instructor for each class in which they are enrolled at the beginning of the semester. When a student’s absence exceeds in number 1/9 of the total class contact hours for the session (e.g., absence from a semester-long class equal to twice the number of hours the class meets in one week), the instructor may drop such student from the class and record a grade in accordance with the policy for dropping a course.
All coursework related to Certificates of Achievement and Associate Degrees (A.A. or A.S.), needs to be completed with a grade of “C” or better:
https://catalog.vcccd.edu/oxnard/graduation-requirements/earn-coa/
https://catalog.vcccd.edu/oxnard/graduation-requirements/earn-associate-degree/
OC ADS program is accredited by the California Association for Alcohol/Drug Education (CAADE) through 10/2027 and by the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) through 12/30/26.
Dean
- Career Education - Isaac A. Rodriguez Lupercio, Ph. D.
Part-time Faculty:
- Vanessa Alva
- David Deutsch
- James Given
- David Mathews
- Rebecca Porter
- Luis Tovar
For further information about the Addictive Disorders Studies Program, please contact Lois Zsarnay, lois_zsarnay1@vcccd.edu or (805) 678-5229
Faculty
- Department Chair: Evan Hess
- Email: ehess@vcccd.edu