The course utilizes material gleaned from empirical research, consensus best practice panels, guidelines propagated by the Research to Practice initiatives of the National Institute of Health, and current thinking in the field. It attempts to integrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for effective treatment of substance abusers and utilizes a format in which review questions, exercises, and illustrative vignettes are integrated throughout. While some strategic review is provided at the outset of the content, the assumption is made that the reader possesses basic knowledge of alcohol and drug abuse and assessment.

This module is intended to build upon the material presented in the first module by applying the principles and techniques to specific populations of substance-involved adults. This requires looking at some of the principles and techniques presented in the first module and deciding whether these principles and techniques are universal. If so, the questions are then do these principles and techniques (a) apply to all groups of AOD clients, (b) apply to only some groups, or (c) apply to some groups but only with some modification.

The six groups that are examined in this module include African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Women, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender individuals (LGBT). These groups were selected because as populations they represent groups on which some evidence-based work has been done. It is necessary to continually reiterate that each of these groups of people comprises a collection of extremely diverse individuals and that, when examining group characteristics, there is always the risk of dangerous stereotyping. With that caveat, however, it is hoped that registrants will be able to use the following insights on working with clients of these different groups.

This course is designed specifically for Associate Social Workers (ASWs) and Marriage Family Interns (IMFs) who need the 15-hour BBS required Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency Training for licensure.

Three Modules Equal to the Required 15-Hours

Alcohol and Chemical Dependency: Module 1 by Rena Palloff, LCSW, PhD

Alcohol and Chemical Dependency: Module 2 by Peter Manoleas, LCSW

Alcohol and Chemical Dependency: Module 3 by Peter Manoleas, LCSW

1. Be able to identify the major addiction and recovery related issues for each group named above.



2. Be able to identify the complex ways in which some of the universal principles of addictive processes and treatment interact with cultural traits.



3. Be able to craft specific treatment engagement and retention strategies for AOD-abusing members of each group named above.



4. Be able to identify how multiple status issues, i.e. Asian-American women, LGBT African-Americans, disabled Latinos, etc. interact with recovery issues.