As duration and intensity of services decline, the treatment system's success in engaging clients in self-help (SH) will increasingly influence client outcomes. Clinicians play an important role in involving clients with SH, yet little is known about how referral decisions are made or about the referral process itself. Although there is evidence that clinicians do refer many substance-abusing clients to SHGs, some clients - in particular, those with a co-occurring mental disorder - are much less likely to be referred. This may result in missed opportunities to provide clients with a much-needed lifelong resource for recovery. Self-help and specifically the 12-step program of recovery are often misunderstood, and indeed, lack of information and understanding have been identified as the most important factor in social workers' reluctance to refer clients to SHGs. While studies have explored clinicians' attitudes about SH, little is known about the knowledge base and experiences from which these attitudes are derived. This presentation reviews empirical findings about clinicians' attitudes about SH and about their role in facilitating clients' engagement in SH. It identifies areas where research can help enhance the number and outcome of referrals to self-help groups.
The work reported here was supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant #P30 DA11041
Learning Objectives: After attending this presentation, participants will be able to: 1. Understand the importance of self-help participation in the recovery process 2. Recognize the role clinicians in referring clients to self-help groups 3. Identify misunderstandings about self-help programs 4. Educate clients about self-help
Keywords: Recovery, Substance Abuse Treatment
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.