Assessing substance use

Social workers work with people using substances on a regular basis, often at crisis point either for themselves or their children and families. Anecdotally, many social workers say they lack the knowledge and confidence to work with substance users, even on a limited level. This is not surprising given that the vast majority of social workers received no training on the subject during their qualifying training.

Assessing substance use does not mean you need to be an expert on alcohol and drugs. The skills for assessing substance use are the same skills social workers have been using to assess people in other contexts. However, many social workers will need, and want, to learn a little more about substances and substance use before feeling confident to ask the questions.

Recent guidance from the National Treatment Agency (NTA) – a specialist health authority looking at drug and alcohol treatment effectiveness and provision – has recommended that all social workers should be able to:

1. Identify a drug or alcohol problem
2. Identify related or co-existent problems (eg. physical, psychological, social)
   Identify immediate risks
3. Assess the urgency of a referral (DH 2002).

The outcome of this assessment is to refer the person to a suitable service for their needs with an appropriate degree of urgency.

NB. Before asking someone questions about their substance use it is important you have clear answers to the following questions:

1. What is the purpose of your assessment?
2. Are you knowledgeable enough to carry out the assessment given its purpose?
3. What are the implications of this assessment for the service user?
4. If you “assess” can you meet the assessed needs, ie. do you have or know of available resources?
5. Can/have you communicate/d what the assessment is about and what will be done with the information?
   
   
   

Introduction | Alcohol drugs and their effects | Polysubstance use | How to assess
Overdose awareness | Websites