ACORN
Advanced Career Online Resource Network
ACORN Offers Online Training
and continuing education (CE / CEU) courses for mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, alcohol and drug counselors, social workers, art therapists, problem gambling treatment providers, prevention specialists, supervisors, agency administrators, educators, and other learners around the globe.
Created by expert instructors, ACORN courses are continually updated with the latest information.
Both synchronous (live) and asynchronous (on-demand) courses are offered. Synchronous courses are conducted in real time, with instructors holding virtual meetings at specified dates and times.
Asynchronous courses are available on-demand. They are self-paced and include video recordings of skill demonstrations, presentations, immersive case studies, reading materials, knowledge checks, and other activities that learners may complete at their convenience.
Course webpages indicate whether a course is live or on-demand.
Featured Courses and Course Bundles
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CGAC I Precertification for ICD-PG Specialists
CourseReal-time. Jan 10 - Jan 31, 2025. Provides the 15 hours required for Gambling Addictions Counselor I (CGAC I) certification for ICD-PG specialists. Content is informed by the Problem Gambling Treatment Provider Core Competencies.
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Suicide Prevention: Responding with Care
Course4.9 average rating (20 reviews)On-demand. 3 CE hours. Builds knowledge, skills, and abilities required to screen for suicide risk and to identify and access resources for referral. Free of charge, courtesy of Oregon Health Authority.
Free
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Working with Families in Problem Gambling Treatment
Course4.8 average rating (8 reviews)On-demand. 30 CE hours. Introduces family therapy concepts and offers a guided tour for how to counsel families struggling with problem gambling. Free for Oregonians, courtesy of Oregon Health Authority Problem Gambling Services.
$375
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Problem Gambling Counselor Precertification, Spring 2025
CourseReal-time. Feb 21 - Apr 11, 2025. Provides the 30 hours required for initial certification as a Gambling Addictions Counselor I (CGAC I). Content is informed by the Problem Gambling Treatment Provider Core Competencies. Approved for 30 CE hours.
$195
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Sociocultural Attunement
Course4.6 average rating (30 reviews)On-demand. 4 CE hours. Focuses on sociocultural attunement in clinical work with clients in therapy or counseling. Free, courtesy of Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Problem Gambling Services (PGS).
Free
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Advanced Problem Gambling Counselor Workshop, Spring 2025
CourseReal-time. Apr 18 and May 2, 2025. Provides 15 of the 60 CE hours required to become certified as a Gambling Addictions Counselor in Oregon. Content is informed by the Problem Gambling Treatment Provider Core Competencies. Accredited CE hours. Free.
$99
Accreditation
ACORN has been approved by the International Problem Gambling and Gaming Certification Organization (IPGGC), the Mental Health & Addiction Certification Board of Oregon (MHACBO), and the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider (NBCC ACEP No. 7274). Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. ACORN is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
ACORN additionally houses Oregon Health Authority (OHA) courses for counselors and prevention specialists. OHA courses are taught by OHA instructors and are approved by MHACBO, but not by IPGGC or NBCC.
Continuing education hours for each course are listed on the course webpage.
Who Should Attend
ACORN courses are designed to provide professional education for those seeking:
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initial and advanced certification (CGAC I, ICGC I, CGAC II, ICGC II) and training in problem gambling treatment/treatment of disordered gambling;
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training and specialization in treating integrated cooccurring disorders (ICOD);
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required continuing education (CE/CEU) for disordered/problem gambling and alcohol and drug treatment provider re-certification;
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required continuing education (CE/CEU) for maintaining professional mental health related licensure (e.g., LMFT, LPC) in Oregon and many other states;
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advanced skills in the treatment of disordered gambling, working with families, treating cooccurring disorders, and/or sociocultural attunement;
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training in mental health and problem/disordered gambling treatment supervision and consultation;
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a broader spectrum of counseling and therapy skills and knowledge to integrate into clinical practice; and
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knowledge that informs the administration of disordered/problem gambling, cooccurring disorders, and other mental health programs.
Content Areas
Content areas covered by ACORN courses include the following:
- problem gambling and gambling disorder treatment,
- problem gambling prevention,
- problem gambling treatment supervision,
- co-occurring disorders treatment,
- behavioral health and aging,
- sociocultural attunement,
- suicide prevention, and
- public health promotion.
Courses funded by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) typically focus on treatment and prevention practices within the State of Oregon. They, nonetheless, provide information that is relevant to practitioners across a variety of regional contexts and practice settings, and they advance education for the global workforce.
