Clinical Work with Substance-abusing Clients

Mental health and human services clincians regularly encounter the myriad problems spawned by substance abuse--from the infant born to a woman addicted to crack cocaine to the elderly alcoholic who needs nursing home care. Until now, they have lacked a basic hands-on text to help them deal with the issues that arise with substance abusers and their families. With clinical expertise born of vast experience, the authors in this volume fill that need by comprehensively covering how to assess and treat clients with drug and alcohol problems and how to work with their families. Presenting approaches that have been shown to be effective, this uniquely practical resource includes models for replication in a variety of clinical settings.

Divided into five sections for easy reference, the book first addresses both the effects of substance abuse on the individual and the basic practice issues involved in clinical treatment. Addressing site-specific assessment and intervention, chapters in the second section describe approaches for working in medical and psychiatric facilities, private practice, and the workplace. Next, clinical work in specialized substance abuse facilities such as those focusing on intervention, alcoholism treatment, methadone maintenance, and the utilization of 12-step programs are covered. A section is devoted to working with families of substance abusers including partners and children. The final section deals with treatment issues specific to such populations as adolescents, women, the homeless, cocaine and other stimulant abusers, those with borderline personality disorders, and drug abusers with AIDS.

CLINICAL WORK WITH SUBSTANCE-ABUSING CLIENTS is a complete resource that will be valued by a wide array of professionals including social workers, addiction counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, and others working in the health and human services. It also serves as an ideal text for students seeking and introduction to working with substance-abusing clients.

Shulamith Lala Ashenberg Straussner, DSW, CSW, CEAP, is Associate Professor at New York University School of Social Work. In addition to teaching, researching, and writing on substance abuse and on employee assistance programs, she serves as a consultant on these areas to private industry and hospitals in the New York area and abroad. Dr. Straussner is a certified psychoanalytic psychotherapist and has a private clinical practice in New York City.