Social workers represent the largest body of addiction and mental health service providers, and there is a consistent need for up-to-date information. Social Work Practice in the Addictions is a comprehensive evidence-based volume. Contributing authors of this volume have been carefully selected to ensure representation of the leading social work addiction researchers. Additionally, researchers from other allied fields, including psychiatry, psychology, and public health, will also be involved to ensure a strong interdisciplinary perspective. Unlike other texts on addiction, this book incorporates ideas of social justice, practice with diverse communities, and ethics to represent the entire knowledge base of social work.

The Routledge Handbook of Social Work and Addictive Behaviors is a definitive resource about addictive behaviors, emphasizing substance misuse, gambling, and problematic technology use. Contents address their prevalence in various communities and populations globally, theories related to their origins and etiology, and what is currently known about effective intervention strategies, education, and research. Social work’s biopsychosocial, lifespan, and person-in-environment perspectives underpin the book contents which are applicable to a wide range of professional and social science disciplines. Contents are divided into five sections: The scope and nature of addictive behavior and related problems Addictive behavior across the lifespan and specific populations Interventions to prevent and address addictive behavior and related problems Issues frequently co-occurring with addictive behavior Moving forward This handbook provides students, practitioners, and scholars with a strong focus on cutting-edge high-quality research. With contributions from a global interdisciplinary team of leading scholars, this handbook is relevant to readers from social work, public health, psychology, education, sociology, criminal justice, medicine, nursing, human services, and health professions.

It has long been recognised that clients with addiction problems need a skilled and thoughtful response when they come into contact with social services. However, students often find that policy and the law surrounding working with drug, alcohol and substance misusers can be complex and often unclear. This fully-revised third edition will help students cultivate the skills required to work effectively with clients and service users who misuse drugs and alcohol. There are clear introductions to the law and to social policy in this area, while the author considers how a holistic approach can be effective when working with this particular client group. Case studies and reflective exercises are used to draw out these key skills. The book also features sections on anti-oppressive practice with a focus on service user empowerment. With this third edition comes new material on social work practice with alcohol misusers, making this book even more essential reading for students and practitioners who want to engage with clients who struggle with addiction.

Role in forming balanced assessments.

Trauma, trauma-related disorders, substance use, and addictive disorders often co-occur, and frequently play a role in the problems and issues that social workers contend with in their practice with individuals, families, and communities. Research shows that there is a relationship between trauma-related symptoms and problematic use of substances and other addictive behaviors. Individuals who experience these co-occurring problems have better outcomes when their issues are addressed with integrated treatment approaches. Trauma-informed care and trauma-specific treatment are therefore important components of effective social work interventions. This book examines various types of trauma, such as intergenerational trauma, adverse childhood events, childhood sexual abuse, and minority stress, amongst various populations and settings, including Native Americans, homeless youth, drug court participants, and LGB adolescents. It also explores the challenges in delivering trauma services in outpatient addiction treatment settings. Furthermore, it provides practical information on how to implement trauma-informed approaches in addiction treatment, and offers insights into the experience of a trauma survivor who is also recovering from a substance use disorder. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions.

This text provides graduate students going into the social work field with real world and practical information about what it is really like to work as a social worker. Each chapter presents a true picture of what to expect as a front-line social worker in the given practice setting.

Examine the worldwide phenomenon of substance abuse and addiction! International Aspects of Social Work Practice in the Addictions examines current social work practice in the addictions around the world. Researchers and practitioners address the abuse of and addiction to alcohol and other drugs and the current policies impacting the treatment of these substances in different countries. The book looks at the substances abused, the scope of the problems, the social reactions, the treatment approaches, and the role of professionals in addressing issues unique to each country, providing a more critical understanding of the socioeconomic and cultural influences on treatment systems. International Aspects of Social Work Practice in the Addictions presents cross-cultural perspectives on the effects of substance abuse and addiction on social policies, institutional practices, sources of funding, and social work methods. The book examines the rapid social changes that go hand in hand with increased rates of psychoactive substance problems and recognizes addiction as a complex biopsychosocial phenomenon that responds to intervention. The countries represented by the book's contributors include: Israel Ireland Germany Australia Singapore the Netherlands the United Kingdom the former Soviet Union and the United States International Aspects of Social Work Practice in the Addictions also includes book reviews related to cultural issues and a roundtable discussion concerning the legalization of drugs with perspectives from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This unique book is a vital resource for clinicians, academics, and researchers.