Social workers are often the first to recognize substance use disorder, the first to address it, and the first to instill hope that change is possible. As the largest group of behavioral health practitioners in the U.S., clinical social workers are vital to improving individual and community health. 

Substance use disorder is the compulsive use of substances such as drugs or alcohol despite harmful consequences. Substance use disorders impair day-to-day life, leading to health problems, disabilities or the inability to meet responsibilities at home, work, or school. 

This blog post explores the relationship between social work and substance use disorder, highlighting how social workers help individuals, families, and communities address it effectively. You’ll also learn how earning a Master of Social Work (MSW) prepares social workers to impact the lives of those experiencing substance use disorders.

 

What Is the State of Substance Use Disorder in the U.S.? 

Substance use disorder remains a widespread and complex public health challenge affecting millions of adolescent and adult Americans. 

Some indicators of the current state of substance use disorder are: 

• Prevalence: In 2023, nearly 49 million Americans ages 12 and over had a substance use disorder, according to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health. 
• Co-occurring Conditions: Approximately 1 in 3 Americans ages 18 and over who had a mental health disorder in 2023 also had a substance use disorder. Co-occurring conditions include depression, anxiety, personality disorders, PTSD, and schizophrenia among others. 
• Improvement: Drug overdose deaths declined 24% from 2023 to 2024, and most adults who’ve had a substance use problem said they are in recovery or recovered. 

Though the country has seen some improvement, health and human services professionals like social workers will continue playing a crucial role in preventing, identifying, and treating substance use disorders. 

 

Why Are Social Workers Often at the Front Line of Substance Use Disorder? 

Social workers practice everywhere people need help, from mental health centers and hospitals to correctional facilities and private practice. As a result, they often encounter individuals, families, and communities coping with substance use disorders, even when substance use isn’t the presenting problem. 

Social workers are often the first to recognize substance use disorder because of the many interconnected factors that contribute to and exacerbate it. For example, a social worker helping a client with housing instability due to job loss may uncover substance use that is worsened by their circumstances. 

Social work practice is uniquely positioned to address substance use disorder because it approaches treatment holistically, providing individualized care while addressing the many contributors. 

 

How Are Social Workers Addressing the Stigma Around Substance Use Disorder? 

Research shows individuals with substance use disorder often face discrimination because of misconceptions about these disorders and their treatment. Some people believe severe substance use is a choice rather than a compulsive behavior and, therefore, look down on those affected. 

Stigma creates barriers to care. Individuals with substance use disorder may avoid treatment or hide their substance use out of shame or criminalization. On a systemic level, stigma decreases funding for treatment programs, leads to discrimination by healthcare professionals, and limits access to evidence-based treatments like harm reduction approaches. 

Social workers help reduce the stigma around substance use by providing compassionate, evidence-based care grounded in core social work ethics: 

• Service: When individuals with substance use disorder believe recovery is impossible, social workers use their expertise to show that change is possible. 
• Social Justice: Social workers advocate for the fair treatment and inclusion of people vulnerable to or marginalized by substance use disorder. 
• Dignity and Worth of the Person: Social workers recognize substance use disorder as a health issue, treating all those affected with compassion and respect. 
• Importance of Human Relationships: Social workers build trusted, supportive relationships and networks to help people cope with substance use disorder. 

Social workers help create a more compassionate and inclusive path to recovery by meeting people where they are. 

 

How Can Social Workers Support Those Experiencing Substance Use Disorder? 

The role of social work in addiction recovery focuses on education, early intervention, and substance use prevention. Together, social work and substance abuse treatment address individual and systemic needs, providing comprehensive support to those affected on their path to recovery. 

 

Case Management 

Case management is a core component of social work practice that helps individuals with substance use disorder as they navigate treatment and recovery. Social workers use case management to coordinate services that address clients’ personal needs and goals.  

Case management involves: 

• Screening clients to determine their medical, psychosocial, behavioral, and functional needs. 
• Creating client-centered treatment plans that connect them to essential services, coordinate care, and address the various factors that influence recovery. 
• Monitoring clients’ progress and providing them with emotional support. 

Through case management, social workers create a stable foundation for recovery. 

 

Harm Reduction 

Harm reduction is an evidence-based treatment for substance use disorder that aims to reduce the harm associated with substance use rather than requiring abstinence from it. The goal is to save the lives of individuals with substance use disorder and protect their health. 

Harm reduction strategies employ various public health interventions. Examples related to social work and substance abuse include: 

• Providing education and tools for safer substance use, like needle exchange programs. 
• Connecting clients to substance use treatment that doesn’t require sobriety first. 
• Bringing harm reduction services directly to individuals with substance use disorder, such as those experiencing homelessness. 

Social workers are ethically obligated to help clients make meaningful changes and actively participate in meeting their own needs. Harm reduction reflects this value of self-determination and can help social workers fulfill their responsibility to clients and society. 

 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective psychotherapy for treating substance use disorder. By becoming an LMSW (licensed master social worker), you can provide CBT services to help clients change their substance use. 

CBT is designed to help individuals with substance use disorder: 

• Learn new skills for coping with urges and cravings. 
• Identify the people, places, and situations that increase their desire for substance use and the skills to manage them, such as improved communication. 
• Deal with difficult emotions and negative thoughts without using substances. 
• Improve their relationships and support networks. 

With clinical social work education and licensure, clinical social workers can use CBT to empower clients to achieve lasting recovery. 

 

Motivational Interviewing 

Motivational interviewing is a type of therapy that helps people create meaningful change by overcoming their ambivalence about it. It has proven effective in reducing alcohol, tobacco and drug use and in improving engagement in substance use disorder treatment. 

Clinical social workers can apply motivational interviewing alone and with other counseling approaches, such as CBT, to determine clients’ motivations for change and to create a plan for achieving their goals. 

Motivational interviewing focuses on these core principles: 

• Expressing and showing empathy. 
• Highlighting gaps between the client’s current behavior and goals. 
• Fostering self-efficacy and optimism. 
• Validating the client’s ambivalence to change rather than dissuading them. 

Clinical social workers who facilitate motivational interviewing sessions support change in their clients through empathy, empowerment, and partnership. 

 

Lead the Way in Social Work and Substance Use Disorder Treatment with an Online MSW from St. Bonaventure University 

The U.S. has experienced some positive momentum in addressing substance use disorders, yet millions of Americans, their families and communities are still affected. Social workers are essential in building healthier lives and communities because they address substance use holistically. 

Our Online Master of Social Work is an innovative program with 100% online coursework. Future clinical social workers can complete their degrees in as little as 31 months of part-time study. Graduates of the Master of Social Work program carry our core values of compassion, wisdom, and integrity throughout their careers. 

Our program’s courses and practicum hours are divided between foundational and advanced years. Students complete 400 practicum hours and courses like Human Behavior in the Social Environment and Social Work Interventions. The advanced year curriculum includes 500 practicum hours and coursework including: 

• Clinical Practice with Families 
• Integrated Clinical Assessment and Differential Diagnosis 
• Social Policy, Justice, and the Law 
• Trauma-Informed Clinical Social Work Practice 

We offer a great return on investment for your time, energy, and money. Tuition for the online Master of Social Work is competitive among other programs in the discipline. Bonnies across all academic disciplines benefit from our strong reputation including the following regional ranks from the U.S. News & World Report: 

• No. 6 in Best Value Schools 
• No. 14 in Most Innovative Schools 
• No. 17 in Regional Universities North 

Learn more about our transformative program and connect with an enrollment advisor today to discover the SBU difference.