DHCS: New Online Training to Support SUD Counselors
| Date: | December 23, 2025 |
| From: | Health Plan of San Joaquin/Mountain Valley Health Plan (“Health Plan”) |
| To: | Health Plan All Providers |
| Type: | Informational/Educational |
| Subject: | DHCS: New Online Training to Support SUD Counselors |
| Business: | Medi-Cal Managed Care |
On Monday, January 12, 2026, The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), in partnership with the University of California San Diego Division of Extended Studies, will launch the Advancing SUD Counselor Education and Development (ASCEND) Program, a free, self-paced, 80-hour online training for substance use disorder (SUD) counselors. The program was developed with the University of California San Diego Division of Extended Studies and the Assembly Bill 2473 Stakeholder Advisory Group as part of DHCS’ ongoing efforts to strengthen the SUD workforce.
The training is designed to be completed on your own schedule and features instruction from experienced professionals. The curriculum covers 12 core competencies required for counselor certification.
For more information and to view a video about ASCEND, visit the DHCS YouTube channel. Registration is available on the University of California San Diego Division of Extended Studies website.
Please visit the links below:
DHCS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/DHCSCA/videos
Registration: https://extendedstudies.ucsd.edu/educational-programs/advancing-substance-use-disorder-counselor-education-and-development
If you have any further questions, please contact your Provider Services Representative, or call our Customer Service Department at 1-888-936-PLAN (7526). You may also visit https://www.hpsj.com/alerts/ for online access to the documents shared. The most recent information about Health Plan and our services is always available on our website www.hpsj-mvhp.org
