New Dean at Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies

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Jan. 27, 2021 – Substance use disorder counseling is an increasingly specialized area of behavioral health, serving patients who have complex substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. Employment in the field is projected to grow 25% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.

“We are so pleased to welcome Dr. Doyle to our team,” said Dr. Valerie Slaymaker, vice president of education and research at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and provost of the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies. “He has an admirable breadth and depth of experience and knowledge spanning the fields of substance use disorder and higher education. Dr. Doyle will make an instant impact in the academic careers of our students and help meet the incredible workforce demand for excellently trained counselors in the midst of the ongoing addiction crisis and overdose epidemic.”

With both onsite and distance-learning options, the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School currently enrolls around 270 students each year in two addiction counseling programs. While focused on the treatment of substance use disorders, both programs also include coursework on mental health and co-occurring disorders—preparing students to provide integrated, comprehensive care consistent with best practices in healthcare. Graduates taking licensing and certification examinations have a 99.5% exam pass rate, and 92% of graduates are successfully employed within six months of graduation.

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission, the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies upholds the highest standards of academic excellence and professional competence. Dr. Doyle joins as the school prepares to also pursue accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), which is gaining significance…