This course is hosted by Smith College continued education program.
Substance use disorder is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders yet most social workers receive little training in how to respond to clients who may be experiencing problems with drugs and alcohol. Many social workers feel nervous about encountering addiction in their clients, but it cannot be avoided. Let’s reduce anxiety about discovering problematic substance use in your clients and increase your confidence about how to ethically and effectively address your clients’ substance use, whether or not you plan to provide “treatment” for risky or harmful substance use.
In this short course, participants will learn how to screen clients for substance use disorders and how to intervene in the context of the therapeutic relationship. Participants will consider how their responses to clients with substance use problems align with the NASW code of ethics, particularly the clients’ right to self-determination, considerations for termination of services and working within the bounds of our competence.
This course will cover:
What is typical substance use and what is a substance use disorder.
How to screen for substance use disorders using validated screening tools.
How to therapeutically respond to your clients’ problematic substance use in the context of your work with them.
How the NASW code of ethics can guide our work with people who have substance use disorders.
3 CEs available. Instructor: Lara Okoloko, LICSW