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Self-Reflections on Self-Determination in Harm Reduction
When I was a social work student in the early 1960s, I assumed that it was imperative, even obligatory, that I respect the right of client self-determination, but I certainly didn’t know how to put self-determination into practice. I was placed at Henry Street Settlement and worked with two...
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Our Realizations and Truths About Harm Reduction
Looking around the room in our focus group, we all realized two really interesting things about who we are and where we’ve been. Number one, that none of us were kids anymore, which is a nice way of saying that most of us already crossed the threshold of mid-life and were heading somewhere on the...
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The Culturally and Racially Safe Practice
Delivering mental health services is first and foremost about people – those of all races, cultures, and socioeconomic statuses. To provide high quality culturally and racially safe, affective services means being attuned to three key areas: 1) being knowledgeable of the clients’ lived...
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Co-Occurring Disorders Among Social Workers
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (SUD) affected an estimated 8.1 million adults or 3.7% of the total adult population in the United States....
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Co-Occurring Fatigue: Compassion, Political, and Oppression Fatigue: Understanding and Meeting Our Special Needs as Helping Professionals
For those of us who work in caregiving environments, we are constantly presented with emotional challenges. Compassion Fatigue symptoms result from the chronic stress of care giving work. Leading traumatologist Eric Gentry notes that people who are attracted to caregiving often enter the field...
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Helping Long Islanders Thrive
As opioid addiction continues to rise in Suffolk County and around the country, staff at Family & Children’s Association (FCA) are working together to combat this growing epidemic. With the support of agency partners Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (LICADD), Families...
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“I’m Not Strong – I’m Steel” Life and Recovery with Co-Occurring Disorders
You may have heard it before: acceptance is the first step in recovery. Nothing could be truer, as was made abundantly clear as each of us shared our histories together in a discussion about Behavioral Health News “Understanding and Treating Co-Occurring Disorders” issue. Trauma leading to...
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Innovation into Practice: The Future is Now
Innovators and experienced providers are joining together to build the infrastructure required to meet the needs of people living with co-occurring mental health conditions and substance use disorders, as well as physical health care conditions. They are facilitating networks to address social...
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Managing Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders
The combination of substance use disorders and mental illness is a common clinical problem – and a serious public health concern. The problem is widespread. At least one-third of people with anxiety and depression – and between half and two-thirds of people with more serious mental illnesses...
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Project Access: An Investigation of Access to Quality Mental Health and Addictions Care
Did you know that health insurers are mandated by government to offer panels of providers so that families can find easily accessible care for their loved ones—and not only for physical illnesses? This requirement is known as network adequacy, referring to adequate networks of care. However,...
