6 Hours / 6 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Alcohol and Substance Use Disorder Detection and Treatment: Lifespan, Culture, and Systems is presented by Nancy A. Haug, PhD, and Regina Moro, PhD.

This program covers contextual information pertinent to the detection and treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders. Specifically, lifespan topics, cultural factors, and other systemic issues are presented and explored. The program includes lectures, small group discussions, and an application of the material to case vignettes.

The program is structured to meet the California psychologist pre-licensure coursework requirement for training in alcoholism and chemical dependency detection and treatment (§1382.3). Participants may be clinicians, counselors, or mental health providers at any stage of their career, and who work in a clinical environment where clients present with substance use or misuse as a primary or co-occurring condition. 

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe age-appropriate strategies for treating alcohol and substance use
  • 2 Describe how cultural factors influence the detection and intervention of alcohol and substance use disorders
  • 3 Describe the impact of systems on the prevention, detection, and treatment of substance use disorders
  • 4 Describe how lifespan, cultural, and systemic factors interact to inform the detection and treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for clinicians, counselors, and mental health providers who work with clients presenting with substance use or misuse, either as a primary concern or co-occurring with other mental health conditions. It is suitable for professionals specializing in clinical psychology, counseling, social work, addiction, substance use disorders, or integrated behavioral health care.


    Examples of Relevant Professionals:
    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Clinical Psychologists
    • Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC)
    • Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW)
    • Addiction Counselors
    • Substance Use Disorder Specialists
    • Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT)
    • Behavioral Health Clinicians

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at various stages of experience working with alcohol and substance use disorders.

    • Beginner: Participants are new to the detection and treatment of substance use disorders and seek foundational knowledge of lifespan, cultural, and systemic factors.

    • Intermediate: Participants have some experience addressing substance use in clinical settings and wish to deepen their understanding of age-appropriate, culturally responsive, and systemic approaches.

    • Advanced: Participants have extensive experience with substance use disorders and are looking to refine their skills in integrating complex lifespan, cultural, and systemic considerations into advanced clinical practice.

  • Practice Setting

    Clinicians apply this training in client-facing clinical environments where substance use is a primary or co-occurring concern, delivering culturally responsive, lifespan-informed care within integrated or specialty behavioral health teams. Their work includes screening, assessment, brief intervention, and ongoing treatment in coordination with medical, community, and social service systems.


    Examples of Practice Settings:
    • Outpatient community mental health clinics
    • Integrated primary care/behavioral health clinics
    • Hospital psychiatric or addiction units
    • Residential treatment and intensive outpatient programs
    • Private or group practices
    • College and university counseling centers
    • Telehealth/virtual behavioral health services
    • Justice-involved programs (e.g., drug courts, reentry services)

Presented By

Nancy A. Haug, PhD Department of Psychology, Palo Alto University

Nancy A. Haug, PhD is Professor in the Department of Psychology at Palo Alto University. She is core faculty in the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium, and Adjunct Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Haug is a licensed psychologist in California and maintains a private practice in Los Gatos, CA. She has clinical expertise in evidence-based treatments for substance use disorders such as motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based therapies, such as ACT and DBT. See bio: https://www.paloaltou.edu/faculty/nancy-haug

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Nancy A. Haug, PhD

Presented By

Regina Moro, PhD Associate Professor in the Counseling Department at Palo Alto University

Dr. Regina Moro (she/her) is an Associate Professor in the Counseling Department at Palo Alto University. Dr. Moro is licensed as a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (North Carolina), Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (Idaho), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (Florida), and is a board-certified counselor. Dr. Moro has published two textbooks on addiction, one co-authored with her mentor, Dr. Laura Veach, and the other co-edited with Dr. Reginald Holt. Dr. Moro has several notable peer-reviewed publications on topics specific to addictive disorders. She has been active with leadership in the counseling profession and is the Past-President of the International Association of Addiction and Offender Counselors, an American Counseling Association division.

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Regina Moro, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • General Introduction to Session

  • Lifespan Topic Lecture (i.e., an exploration of how life stage influences detection and intervention, and age appropriate strategies for treating alcohol and substance use)

  • Lifespan Case Vignettes

  • Cultural Factors Lecture (i.e., an exploration of how cultural factors influences detection and intervention with alcohol and SUDs)

  • Cultural Factors Case Vignettes

  • Pertinent Systemic Issues Discussion

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.