Learning Resources

Note: To access this weeks required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

Required Readings

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Social work case studies: Foundation year. Baltimore: MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].
“Working with Clients with Dual Diagnosis: The Case of Joe” (pp. 7778)

Popple, P. R., & Leighninger, L. (2019). The policy-based profession: An introduction to social welfare policy analysis for social workers (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Chapter 8, Mental Health and Substance Abuse (pp. 161-191)

Discussion: Drug Policies and Ethics

The NASW Code of Ethics provides social workers with guidelines and standards for interacting with clients, colleagues, communities, and society, as a whole. These standards govern interactions and professional behavior of social work practitioners. The NASW has also developed specific standards, which are published in the NASW Standards for Social Work Practice With Clients With Substance Use Disorders. These standards emphasize the importance of the competence of social workers. The standards indicate that social workers should be knowledgeable of evidence-based interventions for substance disorders. The confidentiality standard becomes essential as social workers must be informed and comply with federal, state, and local laws about substance use, as well as third-party payee regulations.

For this Discussion, review this weeks resources, including the case Working with Clients with Dual Diagnosis: The Case of Joe,and consider how social policies affect Joes circumstances as described in the case study. Then, think about any gaps in service you found in Joes case. Finally, reflect on how you might address these gaps or make changes to the policies that affect Joe.

By Day 3

Post an explanation of how drug policies affect Joes circumstances, as described in the case study. Then, explain any gaps in service you found in Joes case as a result of the drug policies described in the case study. Finally, describe a strategy you might use to address these gaps or make changes to the policies that affect Joe.

Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.