Substance Misuse looking at from social worker percepective

Social Workers and Substance Use
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Social Workers and Substance Use
Introduction
Many social customs and cultures around the world allow alcohol and other drug use. The majority of people using such substances often do so in a responsible manner without harming themselves and others. Unfortunately, there is a minority who develop problems that negatively affect not only their health and wellbeing but also that of their families, friends, and community. Substance use disorders (SUDs) impact families across the United States in staggering numbers. In 2016, 63,600 people died of drug overdoses were, translating to about 174 deaths per day (CDC, 2017, p1). The US is in the midst of the worst drug overdose epidemic in history. Alcohol, the number one killer substance in the U.S., kills nearly 90,000 people each year. Addiction continues to shatter families and takes a significant toll on the country’s economy and social infrastructure (Shatterproof, 2017, p3).
Substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions go hand in hand. Co-occurring conditions involving addiction and mental health are common as both involve similar areas of the brain (Ogloff et al., 2015, p16). Mental disorders that commonly co-occur with addiction include major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety and mood disorders, conduct disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (SAMHSA, 2016, p1). In 2014, approximately 7.9 million (40% of all the addicts) people in the U.S. experienced addiction and a mental disorder simultaneously (SAMHSA, 2016, p1).
Social workers regularly deal with the complexities of people’s lives. Substance use is part of the issues and is usually combined with mental health. It is an issue that transverses all areas of social practice; from child protection to adult service user groups and their families or carers. Social work is a demanding job with numerous roles and requires the support of the management, but it is also rewarding as well. The roles of social workers include engagement, motivation and support, and supporting and maintaining change (Galvani, 2015, p7). Social workers apply some effective evidence-based psychosocial substance use disorder (SUD) treatment approaches which include cognitive behavior therapy, and contingency management among others (Wells et al., 2013, p286).
This paper highlights the aim and supports Shatterproof offers to people with problematic substance use. It also examines the roles and responsibilities of social workers from the perspective of the organization. Lastly, the paper looks into the various evidence-based psychosocial SUD treatment approaches employed by social workers.
Shatterproof
Goals and Programs
Shatterproof is a non-profit organization based in the U.S. dedicated to ending the devastating effects of addiction on families. It was founded in 2011 by Gary Mendell following his son’s death due to addiction. Shatterproof aims to transform America’s broken addiction treatment system as a better addition treatment will result in more lives saved (Shatterproof, 2018, p1). The organization led an initiative to transform addiction treatment and developed National Principles of Care as the core components of quality addiction treatment which focuses on three goals:
1 Advocating for state and federal policies that dramatically increase access to evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery programs.
2 Ensuring every American has access to high quality, evidence-based treatment.
3 Ensuring every healthcare provider is educated and equipped to refer patients to science-based addiction treatment, to reduce patient risk through responsible opioid prescribing, and to shatter the unjust stigma of this disease.
Shatterproof has various programs to support people with SUD. The programs help to reduce the stigma of addiction, improve treatment quality and access, and save lives. The programs include family programs which offer guidance, and evidence-based support families need — Ambassador program which a national network of volunteer peer leaders is educating and empowering others. SUD treatment taskforce, it takes a business approach to substantially improve treatment in the U.S. Real cost of substance use in the workplace, it is a tool that calculates the costs of addiction in the workplace (Shatterproof, 2018, p1).
Assessment and Treatment
The first step in deciding to seek treatment for oneself or for someone you love. Recognizing the need for help is the hardest step. Shatterproof offers guidance and support for the other many steps to follow. They provide information that one needs to understand what to expect in the process of treatment.
The next step after deciding to seek help is to schedule an appointment from a personal physician or a qualified clinician at the treatment center. The U.S. has more than 3500 board-certified physicians specialized in addiction (ASAM, 2018, p1).
At the assessment, the clinician begins learning more about the patient’s life by asking questions on how the substance use started, the period of use, and if there is a family history of use. A physical examination to determine general health is also included as well as tests for substance use and other diseases. The doctor then recommends a treatment plan may consist of behavior therapies, counseling, medication, a treatment center, or a combination of these options.
If referred to a treatment center, a patient can seek the help of their doctor or addiction specialist in determining the facility that is right for their recovery. Treatment centers are either inpatient or outpatient. Inpatient centers admit patients for a specific period under which they monitor them closely. Outpatient centers offer regularly scheduled treatment on a daily or weekly basis with the patient living at home and going on with their daily activities.
In addition to the options describes, the SAMHSA’s national helpline 1-800-662-HELP (4357)is available 24 hours a day and offers free and confidential information about substance use disorder treatment, prevention, and recovery.
The Roles and Responsibilities of a Social Worker
Social workers deal with some issues, and substance abuse is one of them. Evidence suggests that substance abuse is becoming a significant part of their workload (Galvani, 2015, p7). It often overlaps with mental health conditions, child protection and in some cases domestic violence. Social workers also work with the elderly, disables, parents (child protection) and children leaving care. Social workers are not experts in everything. They work with diverse individuals, families, and communities meaning that they will never be prepared for every particular situation they face. However, they need clarity in when working on certain issues that are vital such as substance use.
There are three main roles of social workers regarding substance use which include engagement, motivation, and support, and supporting and maintaining change (Galvani, 2015, p7). The application of these roles vary depending on the specialist area and the level of experience and seniority, service environment and service model. The knowledge and skills of social workers develop as they move into managerial and mentoring roles. Advanced and most experienced social workers take leadership roles.
1 Engagement
One of the roles of social workers is to engage with the topic of substance use, regardless of whether they work with children or adults. They must accept its existence, identification, assessment, and intervention. When people start using alcohol and other substances, they do not intend to develop a problem or negatively affect their health and wellbeing. However, once addicted such people are often discriminated against by various professionals and services and lack people to guide them in their choices (Galvani, 2015, p8). Social workers are expected to counter the social injustice and negati...