Course Description:
This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to the nature of substance use and addiction impacting individuals, families, and communities in the context of social work practice. Students will be introduced to various theoretical perspectives and practices of addictions treatment while identifying special considerations for social work practice. The various mood-altering drugs will be examined, and the physical and psycho-social consequences of their use will be discussed as well as a beginning examination of the identification, assessment, and intervention levels.
Students will have an opportunity to focus on areas of special interest in the field of addictions and will critically reflect on their own attitudes and knowledge in the context of Indigenous centered social work practice (Baikie, chapter 3, 2009) as it relates to substance use and addiction throughout the seminar course format.
Objectives:
1. To begin to develop an understanding of substance use & addiction in the context of Indigenous centered social work practice.
2. To develop a beginning knowledge of mood-altering substances.
3. To understand the physical, psycho-social consequences of substance use and addiction.
4. To gain beginning skills for identification, assessment and intervening of substance use and addiction related issues.
5. To develop an understanding of harm reduction philosophy & its impact on the field of substance use and addiction.
- Teacher: Murray Weeks