Casper College’s Addictionology and Psychology Department is excited to announce two classes that are being offered online with synchronous participation.  Professionals seeking continuing education and students building professional knowledge/skills can now from home participate in online learning with the power of the in-class experience.   Enrollment is now open for non-degree seeking students and students outside of Casper College.

ADDN 2155 / PSYC 2155 Motivational Interviewing taught by John Ordiway provides advanced MI training.  John is a MINT [Motivational Interviewing National Trainer] providing an equivalent learning experience of the training offered nationally.

Motivational Interviewing(3L,3CR)Behavioral change is a goal of many human service professionals. This course will examine the process of how change occurs and how to apply evidence based practices to assist clients with the change process thorough the use of motivational interviewing. Through a combination of lecture, skill practice, discussion, and personal exploration, this course will serve as a ‘hands on’ experience for the change process.

The second class PSYC 2390 Acquired Brain Injuries is quickly becoming a necessity for educators, health care providers, law enforcement, behavioral health care providers.

PSYC 2390 Acquired Brain Injuries (3L,3CR) An introductory course that focuses on the major areas of research and treatment application in the field of acquired brain injuries (ABI). Various types of brain injuries, etiologies of these injuries, and treatments of these injuries will be presented. Prerequisite: PSYC 1000, BIOL 1000 (or equivalent), and HLTK 1200.

Students who enroll in PSYC 2390 Fall 2018 who do not have the Prerequisites will be given a waiver and the opportunity to complete the class and explore the benefits of Casper College’s Cogntive Retraining Certificate.

According to the Center of Disease Control [CDC], traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability in the United States. TBIs contribute to about 30% of all injury deaths.¹ Every day, 153 people in the United States die from injuries that include TBI.¹ Those who survive a TBI can face effects that last a few days, or the rest of their lives. Effects of TBI can include impaired thinking or memory, movement, sensation (e.g., vision or hearing), or emotional functioning (e.g., personality changes, depression).  These issues not only affect individuals but can have lasting effects on families and communities.

What is a TBI?

A TBI is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that disrupts the normal function of the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI. The severity of a TBI may range from “mild” (i.e., a brief change in mental status or consciousness) to “severe” (i.e., an extended period of unconsciousness or memory loss after the injury).  Most TBIs that occur each year are mild, commonly called concussions.²

How big is the problem?

• In 2013,¹about 2.8 million TBI-related emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and deaths occurred in the United States.
  • TBI contributed to the deaths of nearly 50,000 people.
  • TBI was a diagnosis in more than 282,000 hospitalizations and 2.5 million ED visits.  These consisted of TBI alone or TBI in combination with other injuries.
• Over the span of six years (2007–2013), while rates of TBI-related ED visits increased by 47%, hospitalization rates decreased by 2.5% and death rates decreased by 5%.
• In 2012, an estimated 329,290 children (age 19 or younger) were treated in U.S. EDs for sports and recreation-related injuries that included a diagnosis of concussion or TBI.³
  • From 2001 to 2012, the rate of ED visits for sports and recreation-related injuries with a diagnosis of concussion or TBI, alone or in combination with other injuries, more than doubled among children (age 19 or younger).

If you have questions please call John Ordiway at 307 268 2281  or Diana Quealy-Berge at 307 268 2590