Substance Misuse

Course content will be guided by research, empirical knowledge and best practice. The following values and principles, consistent with professional standards, inform course content.

• Theoretical models of addictive behavior have changed over time (as evident in the literature) and these guide best practices for social workers.
• Individual problems are related to larger family, socio-economic, and political issues.  This includes the need for both personal and social change:  the need to explore and reflect on the life of each individual (personality, gifts, needs, and motivation) and the structural context of society (class, gender, race, age, government institutions).
• Whether beginning or experienced, practitioners need to be aware of their biases, personal history, and helping approach in working with addicted clients.
• Social workers are best guided by knowledge of the impact of substances on the brain and a broad understanding of how the short-term and long-term consequences of substance use/misuse impact people’s lives.
• Poverty and substance use/misuse are closely related. Socio-economic status is related closely to the procurement, access, and recovery options available to people. Those who are disenfranchised are more likely to suffer harm and be denied service options.
• Social policy strategies for addictions need to be appropriate for diverse populations and must account for the impact of factors such as history, culture, and access to the legal, political, and social structures of society.
• The social worker’s choice of counselling models varies depending on the needs of the individual and the emphasis of intervention.  Individual, family, and community-based approaches are implemented with these considerations in mind.