Substance abuse is a complex and multifaceted problem that affects individuals, families, and communities. As a social worker, you have a vital role in addressing this issue by engaging communities in prevention and treatment initiatives. But how can you do this effectively and ethically? Here are some tips and strategies to help you.
Before you start any community engagement project, you need to understand the needs, strengths, resources, and challenges of the community you are working with. You can do this by conducting a community needs assessment, which is a systematic process of collecting and analyzing data from various sources, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, and existing records. A community needs assessment will help you identify the gaps and opportunities for substance abuse prevention and treatment, as well as the potential partners and stakeholders who can support your efforts.
Do not use the word Abuse. It is found in research to be stigmatizing, and lead to greater support for punitive punishment for individuals with SUD. (Kelly, 2010)
The use of substances is for the purpose of finding wholeness and to give relief to our wounds. As we seek to find healing we reach out. What is is closest to hand, many times, are substances. They offer that release from pain, and, at first, they may deliver. Then the betray the one taking them. In the end, we all seek relief from our pain. It is not “those addicted people.” They are us. They are our children, our brothers and sisters. They are our parents, our grandparents. It is all of us. The first step is realizing that it is a struggle we all face. The only way to ever hope to conquer the problem, is through recognizing it is all of us facing the shadow. That we face such issues as a part of being human.
Every community is different, and so are their needs. We have two apps, one for tobacco cessation (Kwit) and one for alcohol abuse (Sobero), and both have communities. We see differences in communities' behavior, what people talk about, who are the people in each group and so on. One common factor is that they both appreciate the anonymity of an app.
Usually substance addiction or use is based on trauma and attempt to hide those memories. Workers need to be trained using trauma informed approach
Reflecting upon my own work as a former outpatient psychotherapist and group therapist at recovery centers, I wholeheartedly agree with the importance of assessing the needs of the community when implementing success abuse prevention and treatment efforts. I have worked with clients who faced co-occuring disorders and it was critical to engage the community while raising awareness and providing support. As the article suggested, I conducted community needs assessments and facilitated focus groups to collect information. As the article suggests it is important to implement the initial assessment phase, it was a vital part of how I was able to build effective community based recovery programs for the clients I served.
Community engagement is not a one-time event, but a long-term process that requires trust and mutual respect. You need to build rapport and credibility with the community members, especially those who are directly affected by substance abuse or have lived experience of recovery. You can do this by listening to their stories, concerns, and aspirations, acknowledging their expertise and contributions, and involving them in decision-making and planning. You also need to respect the diversity and culture of the community, and avoid imposing your own values or assumptions on them.
Learn all you can about the disease of alcoholism and addiction. A World Health Authority declared DISEASE (illness, condition) and learn the effects of alcohol and drugs including prescribed medication on the human brain, the hear and soul of the human being. Find out how it really works. Then find out what it is like to live without substances. What is the difference? Psychotherapist and addiction therapist 32 years clean and sober including prescription drugs.
I concur with this article, in thinking about the 20 years of I have spent in social work and as a therapist, I can attest to the importance of building trust and relationships with those that you serve. When I work for a recovery center in the inner city of philadelphia, it was essential to understand the culture, by immersing myself in engaging conversations with the community, even though I had a deep rooted upbringing as a child and was directly impacted by substance abuse personally. Being a therapist, allowed me to look at the impact of the problem from a holistic lens in order to reach the clients that I was trying to help.
Once again, try not to use the word abuse. This is well written, it is important to understand the community from a non judgemental angle. Can include that by taking such an approach you are enabling the community to make informed decisions and contribute to data driven insights to support their community.
It is good to establish rapport with members of the community in other to gain their trust and confidence. Their values and beliefs should also be respected and appreciated.
Using a peer-led approach is highly effective. Peer leaders from various community subgroups have pre-established relationships with clients, facilitating a deeper connection. This approach empowers community members, enhances trust, and ensures interventions are more culturally sensitive and relevant, ultimately improving the engagement process. This is very important because it is very easy for anti-drug abuse programs to seem foreign and disconnected from people's lived realities.
While community engagement is based on participatory and collaborative principles, it also needs to be guided by evidence and best practices. You need to use approaches that have been proven to be effective and appropriate for the community context and the specific substance abuse issues you are addressing. You can find evidence-based approaches by consulting the literature, experts, and other social workers who have experience in this field. You also need to monitor and evaluate your outcomes and impact, and use feedback and data to improve your interventions.
Utilizing person-centered language known related to substance use disorders known as Recovery dialects (Ashford, et al 2019) in public spaces reduces stigma related to substance use and decreased negative biases in healthcare settings.
Do not guess the symptoms of alcoholism and addiction. The core of the problem is substances. The addiction is taking substances against self will. No alcoholic wakes up in the morning and says today I want to be an alcoholic and destroy my life family and friends. No addict wakes up in the morning and says today I want to be an addict and destroy my life and everyone near and dear to me. Clinicians say the issue is complex.....to recover from my life in active addiction I had to recognise the symptoms...what sets up an abnormal phenomenon of craving coupled with an obsession and compulsion so great that the only answer is to get relief somehow. I did that in so many different ways. Alcohol, drugs, money, sex, shopping, comfort eating..
I attest to this article, in thinking about my own experience as a former therapist, substance abuse counselor and clinical social worker, I can emphasize the importance of EBP when it comes to community engagements. Throughout my career I have used EBPt to tailor to the unique needs of the community within a cultural context. When I was building a community recovery program while being a therapist at a recovery center, it was essential to utilize tools such as motivational interviewing and psychoeducation to connect to the community that I served.
It may be good to also mention consulting laypersons, cultural leaders, and other members of the community to understand appropriate approaches. This is because literature does not always represent the best way, particularly with a constantly changing research environment, and social workers are just one perspective. Speaking to families, medical professionals and all people involved in the process recovery can help to identify the best approaches.
Using evidence-based approaches is crucial, but it's equally vital to tailor them to the specific community context. While state-level data can offer insights, conducting due diligence to understand the nuances of individual communities and the unique struggles faced by those dealing with substance abuse is essential. This ensures that interventions are finely tuned to the precise needs and challenges of the community in question, ultimately improving their effectiveness and relevance.
One of the main goals of community engagement is to empower the community to take action and ownership of their own substance abuse prevention and treatment initiatives. You need to support the community to develop their skills, knowledge, and confidence to address their own needs and challenges, and to advocate for their rights and interests. You also need to ensure that your initiatives are sustainable and can continue after your involvement ends. You can do this by strengthening the capacity and leadership of the community, creating networks and alliances with other organizations and agencies, and securing funding and resources.
The modern disease theory of alcoholism states that problem drinking is sometimes caused by a disease of the brain, characterized by altered brain structure and function. The largest association of physicians – the American Medical Association (AMA) – declared that alcoholism was an illness in 1956.[1][2] In 1991, the AMA further endorsed the dual classification of alcoholism by the International Classification of Diseases under both psychiatric and medical sections. "Alcohol permanently alters the brain’s plasticity with regard to free choice over beginning or stopping drinking episodes. As with other medical diseases but unlike most bad habits, prospective studies demonstrate that willpower per se is of little predictive significance."
Reflecting upon my own experience as a former psychotherapist and social worker, I have witnessed the transformative power of community engagement, especially when it comes to increasing awareness and providing psycho-education to clients. While working at a recovery center, while developing community based programs, it was significant to empower community members to own their well-being.
Sustainability hinges on addressing the root causes of the problem effectively, not just the symptoms. In many African countries, factors like high unemployment and the exorbitant cost of treatment, often amounting to thousands of dollars per month, must be tackled for lasting change. By working directly on these core issues, we can create sustainable solutions that not only treat substance abuse but also foster economic opportunities and empowerment, ultimately breaking the cycle of addiction more effectively.
Substance abuse is not only a personal or behavioral issue, but also a social and environmental one. You need to address the underlying factors that influence substance abuse, such as poverty, discrimination, trauma, violence, and lack of access to health care and social services. You need to adopt a holistic and comprehensive approach that considers the social determinants of health, and that aims to improve the well-being and quality of life of the community. You also need to advocate for social justice and policy change that can reduce the inequities and barriers that affect the community.
When exploring social determinants of health it is critical to explore how the war on drugs and other policies impact care, particularly in communities that have been over-policed. The impact of oppression as well as systemic and structural racism impact access to care as well as willingness to engage in systems of care. Often times, well-meaning professionals devise strategies to engage communities without having relationships with the communities they intend to serve. This lack of collaboration manifests as distrust and results in implementation of programming that is often received as paternalistic and culturally incongruent. In order to improve outcomes and increase access collaboration with key community stakeholders is essential.
In reflecting upon my own work as a psychotherapist and substance abuse counselor, it is important to understand that substance abuse is a complex issue that transcends individual behaviors, it is deeply interwined with social and environmental factors as the article suggests. It is best to address substances abuse from a multifaceted approach that takes into account the underlying factors affecting the community. Utilizing a holistic and comprehensive strategy is essential to address them.
The recognition of alcoholism as a disease by esteemed medical bodies like the American Medical Association highlights the complex nature of addiction. Understanding that alcoholism can alter brain structure and function underscores the importance of evidence-based treatments and support for individuals struggling with this condition. It's a reminder that compassionate, medical, and psychiatric interventions are often key in addressing this health issue effectively.
As a social worker, you have a responsibility to uphold the ethical and professional standards of your profession, especially when engaging with communities. You need to respect the dignity and autonomy of the community members, protect their privacy and confidentiality, and obtain their informed consent for any intervention or research. You also need to avoid any conflicts of interest, dual relationships, or exploitation that may compromise your integrity or harm the community. You also need to maintain your competence and seek supervision and support when needed.
A good social worker must fully understand the ethics of the profession and abide by them. Never do anything that is against the laid down principles and practices. When in doubt, seek counsel from senior colleagues.
I concur to this article, in reflecting upon my two decades in the field of social work, it is paramount that continue to implement our ethical and professional standards whether we are engage with our individual clients or the communities we serve.
Through high levels of stress and anxiety my whole family were sick. Three alcoholic children with unpredictable behaviours. My brother died from heart attack brought by excessive drunkeness. The whole family suffers in the loss of hope that things may change. Soul destroying to the most prominent families. eg The Royal Family Harry goes to rehabilitation from alcohol and drugs Kate and William become ambassadors to the rehabilitation facility Harry attends. See Youtube Her opening presentation. There is so much evidence yet Aust society still refuse to acknowledge the very problem that social issues arise from hence no real treatment in denying alcoholism/addiction as the disease.
The goal of Care Services Network, Inc. has been that of a link between grassroots community services provision and Pandemic prevalence. We consistently engage in researching the parts that our agency could play in utilizing Home Healthcare Services to improve the quality of lives of the elderly and population with mental health needs and Rehabilitation Services.