Sample SAP201 Alcohol and Other Drugs Essay 2

SAP201 Alcohol and Other Drugs Essay 2 Sample

Description

You are the case worker for a single mother (Mary) who has a 15-year-old son (Toby). Mary is struggling with her use of alcohol and states she often smokes cannabis (marijuana) when her son is at school.

Mary has said that she hasn’t worked since her son was born and had previously managed by doing odd jobs for friends and neighbours. However, Mary has said that now her son is older she would like to get a full-time job but is worried that she will not be successful due to her problematic use of alcohol and cannabis. When ‘probing’ further into Mary’s dependence, you come to understand that she regularly has her first glass of wine with breakfast and states that without it she can’t ‘think’ straight. Mary said she found a half-smoked joint in her son’s room when she was cleaning, and she is worried that he maybe experimenting with drugs. Mary states that she would like to be able to stop drinking and smoking marijuana but every time she has tried before it hasn’t worked.

Part 1 – Identified issues

What are the legal issues in this case study?

What category/types of drugs are discussed?

Define mandated reporting requirements and if it is relevant in this particular case.

What is the possible assessment and/or referral options?

Part 2 – Research

Apply critical thinking and judgement in identifying an appropriate AOD treatment program suitable for Mary’s needs. You should outline the range of treatment options that could be suitable for Mary and to identify considerations that are applicable to her circumstances.

Part 3 – Critical Reflection

You have taken Mary’s case to your supervisor and your supervisor has asked you to spend time reflecting on your decisions and consider what worked well and what other options were available to you.

Note: You are making out a case to your supervisor of how you propose to go about engaging Mary for counselling, referral, and other interventions – the assumption is that this is the initial interview with her. As well as a future-looking perspective you may also want to include and elaborate a backward-looking perspective, reflecting on what has occurred so far. In a critical reflection you would be expected to avoid narrowly understanding Mary’s actions, her current difficulties etc through the lens of her being a drug and alcohol dependent, person. Instead of using a very narrow problem focussed lens, there could be much more to her situation, such as describing and identifying her achievements, her potential to improve her social function, identify social supports, restore self-confidence, reduce anxiety, rather than focus on her perceived deficits. This approach has been described as a strengths focussed approach.1

Your supervisor has also requested you to consider your professional responsibility and accountability and asked you to put this into a mini report that could be developed as a treatment plan.

Solution

Introduction

This essay takes up the case of Mary: a single mother fighting alcohol and cannabis use. It lists the drugs involved the child protection laws and mandatory reporting laws. The essay also explores proper assessment and referral options for Mary using a strength-based approach for Mary’s treatment and empowerment.

Part 1 – Identified Issues

The legal issues around the protection of children and mandated reporting in this case study can be approached from the perspective for instance. They should also decide whether Mary’s 15-year-old son Toby is at risk for an injury from his mother’s substance use (Scheim et al., 2020). From a Strengths-Based Approach, Mary focuses on affirming her autonomous and reserved control over others and her concerns.

Legal Issues and Child Protection

One key legal issue is the potential risk to Toby’s welfare. That’s why Mary stumbles upon a half-smoked joint in her son’s room, making her wonder if he is involved in drugs. Child protection laws mean that even suspicion of child neglect or drug use must lead to mandatory reporting to child welfare authorities. With a strengths-based approach, Mary’s proactive awareness of this issue becomes a sign that positive change is forthcoming, and Mary can be supported in taking steps to address her concerns about Toby’s safety.

Drugs Involved and Legal Implications

The use of alcohol and cannabis by Mary opens quite a few legal considerations. Adults are legally allowed to drink, however, misuse of alcohol, especially with everyday drinking can lead to risks to health and society such as poor judgment and addiction (Caiels, Milne & Beadle-Brown, 2021). While cannabis is legal in some jurisdictions for medicinal or recreational use, local laws and implications are contingent on the use and frequency of cannabis and the presence of a minor. On a strengths-based basis, Mary's openness to talk about her issues is an indication she is willing to change; and the legal area associated with substance use should be addressed from there.

Mandated Reporting and Relevance

In this case for The Assignment Helpline , the risk to Toby’s well-being makes mandated reporting relevant. Nevertheless, a strengths focus is two things, one is the reporting requirement, but also Mary’s willingness to protect her son and to change her behaviors. Mary is readily prepared to receive support from the caseworker because she has made it abundantly clear that she is aware of what she is required to do and that she is able to request assistance while still being involved in the care of Toby.

Assessment and Referral Options

AOD (Alcohol and Other Drugs) treatment programs are available to help Mary – with assessment and referral. Moreover, Toby’s well-being can be assessed by child welfare services. Putting Mary’s strengths, or better stated, thinking them through a strengths-based lens, an acknowledgment of the problem, a desire for a job, and concern for her son could be the tools to use to help guide the referral process as well as help her on her journey of recovery and empowerment.

Part 2 – Research

Critical Thinking and Judgement

Mary’s treatment should be nuanced at least in terms of approach because she wants to improve her own life and regain control over her substance use. Since an Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) treatment program for Mary starts where you are in your work, it seems important to consider Mary’s readiness for change, personal goals, and social context (van De, Ritter & Roche, 2020). Mary wants to quit drinking and smoking pot once and for all but tried and failed twice before. This implies a treatment need that is not ready, psychologically or emotionally, to change, and one with a history of relapse. Mary’s role as a mother is also a key consideration. Since treatment may assist her in achieving her goal of gaining full-time employment and offering a stable environment for her son, treatment may well have a greater motivation for her to change. Recovery can therefore aid in what works (her self-esteem, her social functioning, and her overall happiness in life) in her treatment plan. Addressing her concern may serve as an additional motivator, providing her with a clear reason why she should submit to treatment and develop her parenting skills.

Range of Treatment Options

Mary's specific substance use disorder should be taken to the severity of which her life requires treatment. If Mary has a strong social support network and her substance use is not too severe to require inpatient care, outpatient treatment programs (including therapy sessions, counseling, and support groups) may be appropriate. Mary’s addiction and her mental health could be addressed with a community-based rehabilitation program that combines group therapy with individual counseling (Simard et al., 2024). Mary’s substance use may be so severe as to be significantly impairing her daily life and functioning; inpatient treatment may be necessary. Its structured environment with intensive therapeutic intervention, helps the person work on his addiction in a controlled, supportive setting. Mary’s specific needs can be treated with the use of 12-step Facilitation Therapy or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Pharmacotherapy (medications that reduce the likelihood that an individual will drink, reduce side effects of drinking, or participate in detox or other treatments for alcohol withdrawal) is also used. Disulfiram (Antabuse) for the treatment of alcohol dependence or CBD for use in the treatment of cannabis-based problems may be chosen. But that depends on a thorough physical and mental inquiry about Mary.

Considerations for Treatment

Mary’s attempts to give up smoking marijuana and drinking need to be dealt with. Its history bedaifi succès provides a presage suggesting that a relapse prevention plan will be required still, involving sense identifying triggering factors for her cell suspects to utilize and developing techniques applicable to these causing factors. Mary’s social support system (or lack of support) must also be explored as well. Family therapy may also help increase a relationship with Toby and offer further support for her recovery (O’Connor et al., 2020). Additionally, looking into any underlying mental health issues like anxiety or depression that might worsen her substance use is likewise vital. In the treatment plan, she must address the financial limitations and her fears concerning finding full-time employment. Mary might be connected to employment services, or vocational training programs to build her self-confidence and offer her a sense of purpose.

Part 3 – Critical Reflection

To reach Mary, the environment had to be non-judgmental, and supportive. Something was needed that did not center around Mary, her substance use, but instead her resilience, and her aspirations, which were best served by a strengths-based approach. It built on trust and helped her to be more open with sharing what she was concerned about. By focusing on the caseworker's notice of her goals — like getting a full-time job and caring for her son — the caseworker shifted and pointed out the potential for the change to the focus, something more empowering and positive than before. But there was Mary’s history of relapse. She had doubts that she could deal with her substance use and this could have inhibited her from working to change things (Ragins & Sunkel, 2024). To do this we employed Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques to increase her self-efficacy by emphasizing recovery was possible. Then, because I am a caseworker who is assigned to Mary and her kid, these commitments require me to strike a balance between my ethical and legal responsibilities and my capacity for empathy. As an alternative, however, neither damage reduction measures nor other possibilities stood out as particularly noteworthy.

In this case, one of the core responsibilities is to make sure that any actions I am taking with Mary are also in Mary’s best interest and about Toby. Thinking about my part in this balancing act helps unite the aspects of accountability, and a willingness to follow legal and ethical standards, like mandated reporting. Mandatory reporting was needed if there were concerns for Toby's safety. When I think about the choices Mary might have had, I would prefer that the plan be changeable. It’s not always linear, and she may find she needs to adjust her treatment to reach her goals. For Mary’s treatment development, baseline assessment included a holistic approach to both short-term and long-term goals (Harden et al., 2022). Recovery is often nonlinear and hence it is of critical importance to have flexibility in the plan. Such reviews would allow for tweaks to the treatment plan so that it remains in step with Mary’s evolving requirements and encourage her to keep working toward recovery.

Conclusion

A strengths-based approach draws on a comprehensive framework for addressing Mary’s substance use issues within a strengths and resiliency approach. These scenarios are tackled by working to plan for change in Mary’s potential, while legally addressing the issues of concern using child protection and mandated reporting to create appropriate referrals focusing on treatment and support. As a result of the implementation of this strategy, Mary is now able to actively fight for her recovery and her well-being, which in turn enhances the likelihood that her kid will be safe.

References