Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse

Abuse of alcohol or other chemical substances is a major concern in America and around the world. The many health and social problems related to this abuse present societies with seemingly insurmountable challenges. Social workers are at the core of the effort to manage and remedy these problems. They assess and treat individuals and families suffering from alcohol and other drug abuse. Much effort is also directed toward prevention of these problems.

Because of their training and experience, professional social workers bring a high degree of skill to the process of delivering services to client systems. Social workers organize and manage a range of substance abuse programs. They treat and educate people in public, private, and governmental settings, and are employed in hospitals, group homes, clinics, prisons, employee assistance programs, and private practice.