Austin Community College

Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders

DAAC 1319-97442-002

CLASS DAY/TIME: T 10:30AM – 1:50PM

CLASS FORMAT:  DIL, DLS

Fall 2024

Denral Morrison, MA, LCDC 

Email:  denral.morrison@austincc.edu

Phone: 512-525-9074  

Office:  Online

Office Hours/Appointments:  T/Th, 10:00AM – 1:50PM

COURSE DESCRIPTION

An overview of causes and consequences of substance related and addictive disorders, the major drug classifications and the counselor's code of ethics.

• Credit Hours: 3
• Classroom Contact Hours per week: 3
• Laboratory Contact Hours per week: 0

COURSE RATIONAL

This course is designed to help students gain a general understanding of alcohol and other drugs in the context of individual and cultural use. The course covers basic pharmacology of various substance, the prevalence of use in American culture, issues related to prevention and treatment of addiction. One aspect of the course is also preparing students for the workforce that includes, but not limited to, timeliness and written and oral communication skills. Hence, course requirements are designed to provide opportunities to enhance those skills.

COURSE STRUCTURE

This course is taught online. Basic computer skills are needed.

COURSE ACCESS

The course is accessed through the ACC distance learning web site at https://acconline.austincc.edu/  To access the course, you will need a user name and
password. If you are taking this course through another college (Virtual College of Texas), your user name and password will be provided by VCT. All students must complete an online orientation and the Online Orientation Quiz for the course before starting the assignments. The orientation is located on the Blackboard course page in the Course Content under Online Orientation.

PREREQUISITES

No prerequisites required.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

• identify two drug classification systems;
• describe the psychological and physiological effects of mood-altering substances;
• identify basic elements of prevention and treatment;
• explain the etiology of addiction;
• identify the requirements for licensure and certification in Texas;
• articulate diversity issues related to addiction services.

REQUIRED TEXTS

Drugs, Behavior & Modern Society, 9th ed. (2016), by Charles Levinthal; Pearson. NOTE: there is an “updated” 9th edition that comes in loose leaf form. It is fine to use that or the original 9th edition. Please do not use any edition earlier than the 9th. It is not necessary to purchase the “Revel Access” that the bookstore may list.

NOTE: This section offers First Day Program (FDP) course materials access. When you register, the cost of required course materials is added to your tuition and fees bill at a discounted rate from the ACC Bookstore. The digital text is a digital version of the physical textbook that may include additional educational resources that are uploaded to your Blackboard account for use on the first day of class. IMPORTANT:  You may choose to opt out of this fee and receive a refund if you prefer to purchase the course materials separately. Opt-out requests must be received prior to the official reporting date for a full refund.  For more information see austincc.edu/FDP

ACADEMIC ADVISING SESSION

In an effort to improve students’ use of academic advising, 10 points will be given for students who provide a copy (hard copy or digital image) of an updated, signed advising sheet or degree plan by the deadline posted in the course outline. Human Services students, see Professor Raul Garcia (Note, as this is a DL class, a phone session is acceptable.) Please email Professor Garcia to schedule an appointment. Students who are not Human Services majors can be advised by their faculty advisors or a College advisor or counselor. If you are taking this class for another reason, other than pursuing a degree at ACC, please write a one paragraph statement as to why you are taking this class and submit by the deadline.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY

This is a distance learning class with 8 lessons assigned. Since this is a Synchronous class, there will be meetings via Zoom once a week. See course outline for more information.

DISTANCE EDUCATION (for online or hybrid courses only)
Students will use the Blackboard learning management system for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, and collaboration.

Please review the ACC Distance Education General Information available at https://www.austincc.edu/academic-and-career-programs/acconline/frequently-asked-questions

STUDENT TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT

Austin Community College provides free, secure drive-up WiFi to students and employees in the
parking lots of all campus locations. WiFi can be accessed seven days a week, 7 am to 11
pm. Additional details are available at https://www.austincc.edu/coronavirus/drive-up-wifi

Students who do not have the necessary technology to complete their ACC courses can request
to borrow devices from Student Technology Services. Available devices include iPads, webcams, headsets, calculators, etc. Students must be registered for a credit course, Adult Education, or Continuing Education course to be eligible. For more information, including how to request a device, visit http://www.austincc.edu/sts

Student Technology Services offers phone, live-chat, and email-based technical support for
students and can provide support on topics such as password resets, accessing or using
Blackboard, access to technology, etc. To view hours of operation and ways to request support,
visit http://www.austincc.edu/sts 

GRADING SYSTEM & EXPECTATIONS

Your grade is based on an accumulation of points earned through the completion of assignments. Lessons must be completed by the deadlines listed in the Course Outline/Calendar. When submitting any assigned papers, you must use the Blackboard Assignment button provided. If your written assignments are submitted in a format other that Word or Adobe (pdf), please let me know.

Total points possible: 378 

A = 335 - 378

B = 292 - 334

C = 250 - 291

D = 207 - 249

F = Below 207

Please Note:  the grading system is a simple point system.  Add up your points from your assignments, compare your point total to the grade scheme above, and that is your grade.

Quizzes

There are 8 quizzes each worth 20 points. You are allowed to re-take each quiz once before the deadline for a total of 2 attempts. Total possible points for quizzes are 160. If you are ever concerned about your grades, contact me early in the semester.

Lessons

There are 8 lessons for the course. Lessons consist of reading assignments from the text and online articles. There are also supplemental assignments, quizzes and a discussion board.

Discussion Boards
Students are required to participate in each lesson’s discussion board. The topics for the discussion boards vary depending on the lesson. You are required to post your response to the question(s) posed, and then respond to at least 2 other students. The Discussion Boards counts for up to 10 points. While you are welcome to continue posting past the deadline, only posts made by the deadline will be read by the instructor and counted for points. Total possible points are 100. Guidelines for posts include:

• Minimum of 3 posts. One post should be substantive and respond to the discussion questions with a minimum of 50 words including one APA citation to your assigned readings. The other two posts must be substantive responses to your classmates. Your initial posts must be submitted by Sunday, 12pm, midnight for that week's assignments. You have until Sunday, 12pm midnight of the lesson deadline to respond to two other students’ posts. Missing deadline could reduce your grade by 5 points.
• Your comments are expected to thoroughly respond to the discussion question(s) and make at least one academic citation in your Initial post. Your comments to other students should expand on what they wrote and offer additional thoughts/insights. Posts such as “I agree” will not earn any points.
• Posts must be written with proper grammar, spelling and citations. If you do not know how to cite using APA, see a librarian or tutor. Points are lost for poorly written posts and posts that do not include a specific reference to the assigned readings. Just saying “Levinthal, 2014) is not a specific reference. Tell me what in your post is substantiated from your readings. There is a tutorial for APA at http:// library.austincc.edu/help/APA

Discussion Board Etiquette

• Never post, transmit, promote, or distribute information that is known to be illegal.
• Never post harassing, threatening, or embarrassing comments. If you disagree with someone, respond to the subject, not the person.
• Never post content that is harmful, abusive; racially ethnically, or religiously offensive, vulgar; sexually explicit; or otherwise potentially offensive.
• Do not use curse words in your posts and do not use all capital letters or color fonts other than black/white.
• Spell and grammar check your postings.
• Never share anything that you are concerned about becoming public knowledge. The College does not guarantee the confidentiality of information shared by participants in the course.
• The instructor reserves the right to remove any postings that are deemed inappropriate.
• Postings that are removed are not given any grade points.

Research Paper

Write a 3–5-page research paper (double spaced, 12-point font) on any of the drugs/topics we cover in this class. If you wish to write about a different topic you MUST GET THIS APPROVED BY ME. Use sources from scientific websites, in addition to information from your textbook. Select one drug (or other related topic) you found particularly interesting and go beyond the basic material covered in your text. Use at least 3 different reference materials of an academic nature and use at least 3 APA style citations. Due date is in the course outline and no late papers accepted. Worth 100 points and graded on thoroughness, extent of research, appropriate use of academic citations, grammar, and spelling. I will give 3 bonus points to students who complete the Library online tutorial on academic dishonesty and plagiarism. Submit a scan of the quiz results from the tutorial along with your paper for the bonus points.

Support Group Viewing

You are expected to View 3 support group meetings on YouTube (they can be different support groups or the same group that you view on 3 occasions). After attending all of the meetings, write a 2-page paper (double-spaced, 12-point font) describing your reaction to the meetings. Tell me what meetings you attended, how you found them, and how you felt about the experience. Do not write about what people shared in the meetings, and I do not need to know the 12 steps.  If, however, you are a friend of Bill W., please select one of the other support groups, such as Alanon, ACOA, OA, EA, CoA, MA, etc. The same holds true if you are a regular member of a support group--try something new.Due date is in the Course Outline/Calendar. No late papers accepted.

Extra Credit Opportunity

I will give 20 points to students who give up a substance for 4 weeks and write a journal about the experience. The journal must be written 3 times a week for a minimum of 12 entries. Examples of substances to give up include, caffeine, nicotine, sugar. Also allowed are video games, gambling, social media and similar electronic activities. Let me know if you want to do this project and I will “OK” your idea. I am open to other ideas of what to give up for 4 weeks.

ADDITIONAL EXPECTATIONS

Any additional information will be discussed online. .

COURSE POLICIES

Students are responsible for knowing the ACC policies and procedures that are in the Student Handbook, available in the Counseling Office at any campus or online at http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/.

Attendance/Class Participation
Regular and punctual class attendance is expected of all students. If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the class.

For online courses: Regular and timely class participation in discussions and completion of work
is expected of all students. If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the class.

Situations where classes are cancelled because of weather, pandemic, or other emergencies:
In the event the college or campus closes due to unforeseen circumstances, the student is responsible for communicating with their professor during the closure and completing any assignments or other activities designated by their professor as a result of missed class sessions.

Withdrawal Policy
The College defines withdrawals as occurring after the official reporting date of the semester, typically the 12th class day. In addition, the Legislature has mandated the Rule of Six (see below). There may also be financial aid issues.

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the roll
should they decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right
to drop a student should he or she feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he or
she should also verify that the withdrawal is recorded before the Final Withdrawal Date.

The Final Withdrawal Date for this semester is December 9. The student is also strongly encouraged to keep any paperwork in case a problem arises.

Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawal from a course may have
on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, and international student status. Per state law, students
enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any public Texas college or university may not
withdraw (receive a “W”) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college education. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor when making decisions about course selection, course loads, and course withdrawals.

NOTE: It should be understood it is the student’s responsibility and not the instructors to
drop a course. A student that discontinues coming to class and fails to drop a course is
subject to receiving a final, permanent grade of “F”.

MISSED EXAM AND LATE WORK POLICIES

Quizzes, Discussion Boards, and Research/Writing assignment(s) submitted late will be worth half their value shown on Blackboard.

Incompletes

An incomplete (grade of “I”) will only be given for extenuating circumstances. What constitutes “extenuating circumstances” is left to the instructor’s discretion. If a grade of “I” is given, the
remaining course work must be completed by a date set by the student and professor. This date may not be later than two weeks prior to the end of the following semester. A grade of “I” also requires completion and submission of the Incomplete Grade form, to be signed by the faculty member (and student if possible) and submitted to the department chair.

Students may request an Incomplete from their faculty member if they believe circumstances warrant. The faculty member will determine whether the Incomplete is appropriate to award or not. The following processes must be followed when awarding a student an “I” grade.

1. Prior to the end of the semester in which the “I” is to be awarded, the student must meet with the instructor to determine the assignments and exams that must be completed prior to the deadline date. This meeting can occur virtually or in person. The instructor should complete the Report of Incomplete Grade form.

2. The faculty member will complete the form, including all requirements to complete the course and the due date, sign (by typing in name) and then email it to the student. The student will then complete his/her section, sign (by typing in name), and return the completed form to the faculty member to complete the agreement. A copy of the fully completed form can then be emailed by the faculty member to the student and the department chair for each grade of Incomplete that the faculty member submits at the end of the semester.

3. The student must complete all remaining work by the date specified on the form above. This date is determined by the instructor in collaboration with the student, but it may not be later than the final withdrawal deadline in the subsequent long semester.

4. Students will retain access to the course Blackboard page through the subsequent semester in order to submit work and complete the course. Students will be able to log on to Blackboard and have access to the course section materials, assignments, and grades from the course and semester in which the Incomplete was awarded.

5. When the student completes the required work by the Incomplete deadline, the instructor will submit an electronic Grade Change Form to change the student’s performance grade from an “I” to the earned grade of A, B, C, D, or F.

If an Incomplete is not resolved by the deadline, the grade automatically converts to an “F.” Approval to carry an Incomplete for longer than the following semester or session deadline is not frequently granted.

COLLEGE POLICIES

The college policies are now part of the menu in Blackboard. Students are urged to be familiar with them as well as their rights. In addition, this tab has useful links for the library, tutoring, student services and other benefits ACC offers.

Drugs, Behavior & Modern Society, 9th ed. (2016), by Charles Levinthal; Pearson. NOTE: there is an “updated” 9th edition that comes in loose leaf form. It is fine to use that or the original 9th edition. Please do not use any edition earlier than the 9th. It is not necessary to purchase the “Revel Access” that the bookstore may list.

NOTE: This section offers First Day Program (FDP) course materials access. When you register, the cost of required course materials is added to your tuition and fees bill at a discounted rate from the ACC Bookstore. The digital text is a digital version of the physical textbook that may include additional educational resources that are uploaded to your Blackboard account for use on the first day of class. IMPORTANT:  You may choose to opt out of this fee and receive a refund if you prefer to purchase the course materials separately. Opt-out requests must be received prior to the official reporting date for a full refund.  For more information see austincc.edu/FDP

COURSE OUTLINE/CALENDAR

Please note that schedule changes may occur during the semester. Any changes will be announced and posted as a Blackboard Announcement (or other resource faculty is using to communicate).

See Instructor’s additional information, or handouts.

COURSE RATIONAL

This course is designed to help students gain a general understanding of alcohol and other drugs in the context of individual and cultural use. The course covers basic pharmacology of various substance, the prevalence of use in American culture, issues related to prevention and treatment of addiction. One aspect of the course is also preparing students for the workforce that includes, but not limited to, timeliness and written and oral communication skills. Hence, course requirements are designed to provide opportunities to enhance those skills.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

• identify two drug classification systems;
• describe the psychological and physiological effects of mood-altering substances;
• identify basic elements of prevention and treatment;
• explain the etiology of addiction;
• identify the requirements for licensure and certification in Texas;
• articulate diversity issues related to addiction services.