Frequently Asked Questions

by Michael Liimatta,  Director, City Vision College

1. Why is City Vision College developing an Addiction Studies program?
2. What is the Certified Addiction Counselor credential?
   How does it benefit staff at addiction recovery ministries?
3. Why are you partnering with an outside organization to develop this program?
4. What is the NET Training Institute?
5. Who are Charles and Jean LaCour?

1. Why is City Vision College developing an Addiction Studies program?

We are expanding the curriculum to meet a demonstrated need among those who look to Rescue Missions for help. Besides not having a home to call their own, most homeless adults have something else in common - addiction and mental illness. Up to two-thirds of homeless adults suffer from alcoholism and at least half suffer from drug disorders. At least one-third of the homeless also suffer from severe and persistent cfronic psychiatric disorders. 40-50% of these individuals are dually diagnosed - suffer from both.

We see a genuine desire among mission staff members for more training on addiction and mental illness.

2. What is the Certified Addiction Counselor credential? How does it benefit staff at addiction recovery ministries?

A.        Introducing the CAC - The CAC is the professional credential that is the standard for individuals working with addicts and alcoholics in hospitals, treatment centers and other agencies.  It is awarded through a peer review process and is administered by independent agencies in all fifty states of the US.  The CAC is based on experience and the ability to demonstrate the most important skills of addiction counseling.  No specific college degree is required.

B.        Benefits for the Rescue Mission Worker – Pursuing of the CAC can be a rewarding  professional development experience.  Besides displaying competance in the Twelve Core Functions of the Substance Abuse Counselor, credentialling bodies also require a certain number of hours in formal education in the substance abuse and counseling fields.  Participation in AGRM-sponsored training events and certain City Vision College courses can be used toward picking up these required educational hours.   Additionally, the process requires a specified number of supervised hours, where the individual works with an experienced addictions professional.

C.         Benefits for the Rescue Mission –The key to an effective program is staffing it with qualified people.  Rescue missions tend to hire people with biblical and theological traing.  A growing number have also recognized the importance of having staff members who are competent in the area of substance abuse counseling. 

Hiring individuals who posses the CAC means bringing in people with a combination of experience and demonstrated competence in the field of addiction counseling.  It can also help when seeking financial support from private foundations and governmental funding sources.  Other agencies and ministries that recognize the value of the CAC are also more likely to refer clients to the program.  Having current staff members become involved in the pursuit of the CAC is a great way to equip them by obtaining useful skills and a professional approach to their work.

D.         The Twelve Core Functions – Though administered by different bodies in the various states, there is  movement in the area of reciprocity, allowing the credential granted by one state to be transferred to another if the counselor moves.  This has been accomplished through because of the near universal acceptance of the “Twelve Core Functions” in which the counselor seeking the CAC must be able to demonstrate competence. For a full description of the Twelve Core Functions, click here.

If you have any questions about these matters or need help in contacting the agency in your state that administers the credentialling process, please feel free to contact Michael Liimatta at (816) 960-2008 or by email at info@cityvision.edu.

3. Why are you partnering with an outside organization to develop the program?

As we looked at the need, the expense and time involved in developing courses from scratch, we decided to work with an existing curriculum that could be adapted to the online format of City Vision College. The NET Institute of Orlando, Florida, was a logical choice. They had a series of 27 self-study courses to train Christian addiction counselors. The short courses were already approved by the National Association for Addiction Counselors, to provide 5-15 hours of continuing education units. The City Vision College Addiction Studies program will combine these courses into nine three-credit courses focusing on addiction and dual diagnosis and include additional materials we developed jointly with the staff of the NET Institute.

4. What is the NET Training Institute?

The NET Training Institute, founded in 1996 by Charles and Jean LaCour, was created to meet thte training needs of the Florida Network on Addictions, a grassroots fellowship of Christian lay ministries helping alcoholics, drug addicts and their families, prisoners and ex-offenders, the homeless and church members struggling with life-controlling problems. The acronym NET stands for nurture, equip and train. Since its inception, the NET Institute has trained over 1,500 students from North American, Asia, Europe and South America. They also host an annual conference in Orlando.

5. Who are Charles and Jean LaCour?

The LaCours' passion to nurture, equip and train Christians to serve the needs of hurting people is fueled by their own firsthand experience of God's power to save people from addicted and dysfunctional lifestyles. In her seach for fulfillment, Jean was once involved in the hippie way of life that eventually left her broken and realizing her need of Christ. Charles forfeited his successful career in South Florida's hotel industry before he found salvation and recovery.

Dr. Jean LaCour has led the way in networking with a cadre of faith-based instructors and leaders who worked to develop five diploma programs and over 350 hours of addiction, recovery and ministry curricula. She holds a doctorate in counseling psychology from Cornerstone University and is both a licensed clinical pastorla counselor and a certified addiction prevention professional. She has served on the federal government's SMHSA steering committee for its Partners for Recovery Initiative and on the leadership council of the International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coalition whose members come from over 30 nations. She currently serves as faith-based coordinator for the Access to Recovery Program under the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Charles LaCour currently serves as president of the NET Training Institute, Inc. He has an extensive background in business, real estate and community service, including service as past president of both the Daytona Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and the Daytona Beach Hotel/Motel Association. Charles is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University with a degree in mathematics and has training from the International Seminary in Central Florida. He is also a graduate of Leadership Daytona and the prestigious Leadership Florida sponsored by the Florida Chamber of Commerce. Charles holds the certified addictions professional credential in the State of Florida.