What is the greatest tool available for helping individuals succeed and for stopping the spread of substance abuse and addiction issues? It just happens to be the ninth core function of drug and alcohol counseling: client education.
Education is the most powerful tool in the war on drugs and alcohol. It’s the quintessential solution to decreasing cases of substance abuse and addiction. Substance abuse counselors work to provide information to the individuals and groups they work with that covers alcohol and other drug of abuse. But the info they share has something other sources don’t – vital information about available services and resources.
The Global Criteria
What constitutes client education? According to the 12 Core Function textbook excerpt, you have to present two specifics:
- Relevant alcohol and drug use and/or abuse information through formal and/or informal processes.
- Information covering available alcohol and drug related services and resources.
The manner in which you provide this information will vary. Depending on a client’s selected program or treatment plan, the educational material might be dispersed via a formal class setting or individually in one-on-one counseling sessions.
Client education is not limited to informative material about addictive substances. It can include community resources, self-help groups, and other supports readily available to your clients and their families. Your primary concern will be to select the right educational material to present, and you’ll need to be able to provide specific examples regarding the type of education provided and its relevance.
Educating Your Community
While your primary focus will be the treatment of your clients, substance abuse counselors have the unique opportunity to assist in educating their community. The information you share is likely to reach beyond your clientele, if only as your patients share what they learn with those in their social circles. It’s vital to provide accurate and actionable information.
Local resources and services are an important part of client education. The road to recovery is rarely a singular journey. As you strive to manage cases, you will build relationships with many local resources and service providers focused on specialties that apply to your patients. The result of collaborating in this manner is often the discovery of ways to further assist current and future clients. You list of viable resources and services will continually grow.
It’s important to regularly confirm the accuracy and credibility of the material you use for client education. While there is no strict guideline regarding how often you should review the information shared, you might want to set a personal goal. After all, your professional credibility to the persons who matter the most – your clients – is on the line when providing educational resources and material.
Educating your patients and the community you serve is a wonderful and challenging opportunity to be creative. Just remember, accuracy and relevance are of the utmost importance. If you cannot justify a type of education through a specific example, it may be best not to introduce it.