Social work in addiction: opportunities and alliances

ABSTRACT Addiction is a severe social and mental health problem that requires concerted interdisciplinary efforts to address. Social workers routinely encounter addiction in their practice and can play an important role in its prevention, intervention and policies. However, social workers’ competence in working with addiction is currently compromised by inadequate academic training and reliance on a dominant medical and individualistic paradigm that is at odds with the person-environment philosophy of social work. Based on a critical review of the literature, three addiction theories that feature ecological, relational and humanistic-systemic concepts and practice compatible with social work orientation are presented. Existing knowledge gaps in addiction, formation of interdisciplinary allies and action steps are identified for social work to contribute to addiction theory, research and practice more centrally.