Substance Abuse Treatment and Domestic Violence - Batterers (3 hours)

This 3 hour course by Vic Shaw provides substance abuse counselors with an overview of domestic violence. This information will help counselors understand the particular needs and behaviors of batterers and survivors. It will also provide direction and guidance in the preparation of treatment plans for those involved in care. 

It will use the knowledge and information developed for the Treatment Improvement Protocol on Domestic Violence to help treatment professionals create an integrated knowledge base about substance abuse and domestic violence and to outline a system of integrated care for this problem. Because the scope of this problem impacts more than one individual, this course attempts to focus its attention on the individual most commonly seen in drug and alcohol treatment programming today - the batterer.

Goals/Objectives

By participating in this Distance Learning Course the trainee will:

• Understand the particular needs and behaviors of batterers and to define the problem of domestic violence.
• Establish the connections between substance abuse and domestic violence.
• Explore the risk factors associated with domestic violence and the use of alcohol and other drugs.
• Examine and become familiar with screening instruments and assessment techniques for identifying domestic violence.
• Obtain a clearer clinical picture of batterers through identification of the signs, symptoms, and group typologies.
• Identify legal issues and reporting requirements that exist when working with domestic violence.
• Create a forum to discuss practical application and special issues related to relapse and the prevention of relapse through the use of internet technologies.

Vic Shaw, M.Th., is a graduate of Southern Methodist University's Perkins School of Theology with a M.Th. and specialization in pastoral counseling. He has been active in the addiction field since 1970. During the past twenty-seven years he has worked as an Educational Specialist for the Dallas Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, as Director of Alcohol Education for the Dallas County Community College District, as an addiction counselor for The Texas Rehabilitation Commission, and as founding director of a thirty (30) bed inpatient addictions treatment center at Hurst-Euless-Bedford Hospital near Fort Worth, Texas.

Vic was instrumental in the early formation of the Texas Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (TAADAC) and led efforts to implement licensure standards in Texas. He has been a certified addiction counselor in Texas as well as a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. He is former chairman of the Education Committee for TAADAC and former chairman of the Texas Task Force for Addictions Manpower Development. Vic also served on the Board of Directors for the Dallas and Tarrant County Councils on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Since 1983 he has devoted most of his time and energies to developing a model addictions counselor's training program that has been implemented throughout Texas, Florida, Mississippi, and Southern California. Vic is one of the founders of the Distance Learning Center for Addictions Studies and ReadytoTest.com.

Internet Format - Coursework that is available immediately via a downloadable PDF file (a popular online format that requires you to have the Adobe Reader program, or one similar, installed on your computer). Many websites already use this very user friendly file format, so chances are you already have a PDF reader installed on your computer. This format allows faster downloading, easier reading, and easier printing. All course materials will be included, as will the link to the post-test required for course completion. Access and downloading information will be immediately sent to the email address you provide at checkout. There is no additional charge for this format.

USB Flash Drive Format - Different computers, processors, ISP's, and software make it sometimes difficult or time-consuming to capture materials provided via the Internet. As a result, we've added the Flash Drive format to our list of options. With this format we will send you a Flash Drive by Priority Mail that can be used on any computer, laptop, tablet with a USB port. The drive will include a PDF copy of the course or courses ordered along with the test link needed to complete your course using our online test system. This option will include additional per course costs for materials/shipping/handling.

Hard Copy Format - Coursework that is delivered to you by Priority Mail in book form. All course materials will be included, as will the post-test required for course completion. For immediate results and faster certificate processing an email containing instructions on how to access your post-test online will be sent to the email address provided at checkout. Should you not want to submit the test yourself, a mail/fax form is also included that will allow you to mail or fax your test responses to us for processing. Hard copy courses will include additional per course costs for materials/shipping/handling.