Addressing the Opioid Crisis: The Role of Social Workers

In recent years, the true depth and breadth of the opioid crisis has revealed itself, pressing professionals across a vast range of industries and specialties to begin collaborating to develop innovative and impactful solutions. Those who are interested in a career in social work should understand the pivotal part social workers have to play in addressing the opioid crisis — often connecting those struggling with addiction or their caregivers with the resources to overcome the immense, complicated challenges they face.

Understanding the Opioid Crisis

The opioid crisis refers to the epidemic of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States. According to the National Institute of Health HEAL Initiative, it is one of the most pressing public health concerns in the country, and to address it, scientific solutions rooted in physical and mental healthcare must be implemented by communities throughout the U.S.

Scope of the Crisis

The scope of the crisis is vast, and a startling number of people are impacted by opioid use and misuse throughout the country. More than 5.5 million Americans over the age of 12 suffer from opioid use disorder. In addition, more than 9 million individuals abused or misused opioid drugs in the past year. Of the more than 100,000 drug overdose deaths that occur in the U.S. on an annual basis, more than 75% involve the use of opioids.

Root Causes of the Opioid Crisis

The opioid crisis is incredibly complex. It emerged as a widespread issue more than four decades ago, when heroin and cocaine use began to rise. This was exacerbated in the 1990s, when prescription opioids were heavily promoted and used by physicians to manage patient pain levels. An excessive number of individuals became inadvertently addicted to opioids, catapulting the crisis to new levels. Today, the National Institute of Health HEAL Initiative says that the opioid crisis in the U.S. is currently in its fourth wave.

Populations Most Affected

According to the World Health Organization, people who are most at risk of opioid use or misuse include:

Individuals who are older and more likely to need pain medication.
Individuals from underrepresented or marginalized communities.
Individuals in rural communities with limited access to healthcare.

Relying on their extensive understanding of the complexities involved with substance abuse disorders, social workers are playing an increasingly important role in addressing the opioid crisis.

According to the National Association of Social Workers, social workers can work to reduce the prevalence of opioid use and misuse in the country by:

Providing Individual and Family Support

Social workers may work closely with individuals suffering from substance abuse disorders, including OUD. By connecting them to substance abuse consulting services and getting their loved ones involved in family therapy for addiction, social workers can help those misusing opioids begin to understand the steps they need to take to overcome their addiction.

Advocacy and Education

Social workers can call upon their knowledge and understanding to advocate for the needs of those with opioid use disorder and the communities most affected by opioid use and misuse. Creating community education programs and advocating for policy change at all levels of government are ways that social workers can help address the root causes of this crisis.

Facilitating Access to Resources

In addition to helping individuals find substance abuse counseling services, social workers can also facilitate access to other valuable resources that can help those suffering from OUD. From finding support groups for addiction to ensuring that people have access to the healthcare services they need, social workers can leverage their own professional network to ensure their clients are equipped with the tools to lead healthy and productive lives.

Social workers often rely on layered strategies in order to address the complexities of OUD. According to the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network, these are common intervention strategies for social workers who are focused on addressing the opioid crisis:

Screening and Early Intervention

Screening tools, prescription drug monitoring programs and early intervention protocols can help reduce the prevalence of opioid addiction in a community as well as the number of fatalities associated with drug overdoses. Social workers often have access to screening and early intervention tools that can help at-risk individuals or populations.

Trauma-Informed Care

Trauma-informed care is defined as a healthcare framework that expects healthcare professionals and mental healthcare experts to recognize the signs, symptoms and impact of trauma when working with individuals who have endured extreme stress in their lives. Those who have experienced trauma are at a higher risk of developing an opioid use disorder, requiring social workers to understand the benefits and applications of trauma-informed care.

Harm Reduction Approaches

According to the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, harm reduction is an evidence-based approach that is highly effective when working with individuals who use or misuse drugs (including opioids). Anchored by community-driven healthcare strategies, harm reduction requires social workers to engage directly with the community and empower individuals to make better choices. By recognizing their perspectives and understanding their life experiences, social workers can use harm reduction to build up a community rather than admonish it.

Long-Term Recovery Support

While healthcare providers or law enforcement officers may assist patients in the immediate aftermath of a drug overdose or during a drug withdrawal, social workers can offer the comprehensive and layered long-term support that is truly needed for full addiction recovery.

Considered one of the most significant and severe public health crises in the country's history, addressing the opioid crisis has presented remarkable obstacles. According to research published in the Molecular Psychology journal, the geographic and economic diversity of the crisis coupled with layered causes has made it challenging to resolve.

Some specific challenges faced by social workers while combating the opioid crisis include:

Stigma Around Addiction

There has long been a stigma surrounding addiction, one that has prevented those suffering from the disease from seeking and receiving high-quality treatment. According to American Addiction Centers, social workers continue to play a vital role in eliminating that stigma and removing the barriers between those with a substance abuse disorder and the care they need.

Limited Resources and Funding

Limited funding for the extensive services and programming needed to truly have an impact on the opioid crisis prevents social workers from being able to reach as many people as possible — especially given the fact that underprivileged communities often have a much higher rate of opioid misuse than more affluent communities.

Social work is a rewarding career, but it can also be a difficult profession. Social workers working to address the opioid crisis are faced with daunting challenges and tragic stories on a daily basis, which can increase their risk of burnout.

Collaborations and Innovations in Addressing the Opioid Crisis

Social workers know that they are not fighting this battle alone — and they often find themselves collaborating with other experienced professionals to develop innovative solutions to help curb the impact of the opioid crisis.

Working With Healthcare Providers

It's quite common for social workers to partner with healthcare providers to help ensure those afflicted by opioid use disorders receive proper physical care and emotional support.

Engaging Community Organizations

Social workers often partner with community organizations to raise awareness about the opioid crisis and develop programming that can empower individuals to make positive choices in their own lives.

Leveraging Technology

Advanced technology can help make sure that programming, treatment and resources are more accessible, particularly in underserved communities.

While the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic persists, social workers can still find that there is hope in the future. The next steps to combating the opioid crisis will likely involve:

Advancing Education and Training

Even after completing a college education, social workers will be required to continue advancing their education and complete ongoing training to help them understand the trends shaping the opioid crisis (along with the best strategies to combat it).

Policy Advocacy and Systemic Change

Understanding that the opioid crisis must be addressed at the root cause, social workers will have to continue advocating for systemic change that prevents exposure to opioids and allows people to make healthy, informed choices in their lives.

Creating Sustainable Solutions

Finally, social workers will be tasked with collaborating with healthcare providers and government leaders to develop sustainable solutions that can be implemented and maintained over the long term. The battle against the opioid crisis might prove extensive, but with sustained effort, the results will be worthwhile.

Crisis intervention social work is crucial in contemporary society, particularly as healthcare providers, social workers and legislators work together to combat the opioid epidemic. At Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU), our Division of Behavioral Health and Sciences offers a wide variety of degree programs for students who are interested in making an impact on the world around them. Anchored by a faith-based environment, IWU delivers a supportive academic experience that allows students to learn how to put Christ first — both in their personal lives and professional endeavors.

Find your program, and request more information about the IWU experience today.

Sources

https://www.indwes.edu/academics/caps/school-of-integrated-health/division-of-behavioral-and-health-sciences/

https://heal.nih.gov/about/opioid-crisis

https://www.socialworkers.org/Practice/Behavioral-Health/Behavioral-Health-Tools/The-Impact-of-Fentanyl-on-the-Opioid-Crisis-and-Role-of-Social-Workers

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK458653/

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/opioid-overdose

https://attcnetwork.org/practical-strategies-for-social-workers-to-combat-the-opioid-epidemic/

https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/awards/2018-ar-bx-k030

https://www.acesaware.org/ace-fundamentals/principles-of-trauma-informed-care/

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/harm-reduction

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7398847/