The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #41446

Melvin Delgado, MSW, PhD¹, Betty J Ruth, MSW, MPH², Celina E Miranda, MSW, EdM², and Jennifer Valenzuela, MSW, MPH³. (1) School of Social Work, Boston University, 264 Bay State Rd., Boston, MA 02215, (2) Boston University School of Social Work, 264 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215, (3) NIDA Minority Research Center grant, Boston Universtiy, 232 Bay State Rd. Room 426, Boston, MA 02215, (617) 353-7223, delgado@bu.edu

Over the past two decades, social work's focus on substance abuse training and research has increased dramatically. Focused largely on treatment, there has been less emphasis on prevention, or on adapting existing models of intervention for use in communities of color. However, in order to be effective, the social worker must move toward a more culturally competent approach that includes prevention and research as well.

An urban school of social work, with an existing center for the study of addictions, received a three-year federal grant to create a substance abuse research center for faculty and students. The first of its kind in the field, the grant allowed for the creation of various innovative programs, including two research projects and a regional training center for faculty and students.

The center's mission is to increase the capacity of social work faculty and students to develop the necessary competencies to respond to the challenges associated with substance abuse research in communities of color. The goal is to increase the pool of social work researchers committed to studying the unique needs of urban communities of color.

The presentation will focus on the activities of this Capacity Training Institute, including the fellowships, faculty/student training and internships. The assessment of learning needs, and the evaluation process, has given the center critical information on how social workers can approach the issues of substance abuse research. The center's experience will be reviewed with an eye toward recent application for continuation funds that hopefully will allow for new programmatic innovations.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to

• recognize health disparities in the field of substance abuse as it affects communities of color
• understand the necessity of and possible roles for social workers and social work researchers engaging in culturally competent substance abuse research
• apply knowledge derived from the NIDA Minority Research Center experience to participants' own goals regarding future research.

Keywords: Social Work, Substance Abuse

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I was employed on this grant for one year.