Discuss what they may be and how you will plan to address your biases in your future work in addictions.

In the United States an estimated 1 in 14 people, 14.5 million had a substance use disorder in 2017. [1] The prevalence of substance use disorders and the secondary effects (health, parenting, relational, economic, etc.) on individuals and communities necessitate that all social workers have a minimum competency and knowledge of substance use disorders. Social workers will interact with those experiencing a substance use disorder or at risk of a substance use disorder in multiple settings including but not limited to mental health clinics, substance use disorder treatment facilities, private practices, child welfare agencies, shelters, skilled nursing facilities, schools, hospitals, etc. Substance use disorders do not discriminate and impact all segments of the population. The prevalence of substance use disorders results in most social workers having exposure to substance use disorders either directly within their family system or indirectly, well before their social work training. In fact, it is estimated that 1 in 4 children live with at least one adult with a substance use disorder. This means that many social workers will come to this work with their own lived experiences and lived perspectives. Ethical and effective practice necessitate that social workers in all settings engage in self-reflection and address internal biases.

Based on this information, reflect upon your own self-perceived biases, and discuss what they may be and how you will plan to address your biases in your future work in addictions. Respond to the initial discussion thread with your response by Wednesday at 11:59 pm and respond to two peers by Sunday at 11:59 pm. All posts require scholarly citations to support your informed perspectives, in order to receive full points.

[1] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (2107). Reports and Detailed Tables from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Retrieved at https://www.samhsa.gov/data/nsduh/reports-detailed-tables-2017-NSDUH

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