what is a “special” or selected population? How might substance abuse look when it appears in selected populations? Do the problems of substance abuse and addiction affect members of some selected populations differently from how it affects other populations or the “general” population? And, most important to your work as a counselor, how might you best treat and meet the needs and concerns of members of selected populations?
This week, you will consider how intervention may be tailored to selected populations, in order to best treat the needs of individuals in those populations. You also will explore case studies in need of crisis intervention and examine the ethical and legal considerations related to these interventions.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this week, you should be able to:
? Apply intervention strategies to selected populations
? Develop and apply a crisis intervention strategy
? Analyze ethical and legal considerations related to crisis intervention with a selected population
? Apply prevention strategies to a selected population
Selected Populations
The term selected populations refers to any group who operates outside the major power differential in mainstream society. The criteria for determining a selected population can include age, gender, sexuality, nationality, or a number of other factors. As individuals from selected populations bring with them different types of considerations when they seek substance abuse counseling, becoming familiar with the characteristics associated with substance abuse in these populations is essential for a counselor who works with them.
In this Discussion, you will reflect on the unique needs and characteristics of selected populations related to substance abuse and addiction. You also will consider how substance abuse counseling may address these particular needs, taking into account any challenges and ethical and legal concerns that may arise.
To prepare for this Discussion:
? Review this week?s Learning Resources, focusing on risk factors, cultural considerations, barriers to treatment, and the focus of prevention and intervention for each of the populations discussed.
? Perform an academic search in the Walden Library and select an article published in a peer-reviewed journal that discusses substance abuse and/or addiction in a selected population of your choice and that addresses the needs of that population.
? Reflect on intervention strategies that may be fitting for the selected population discussed in the article, taking into consideration any special needs of the selected population.
? Select two intervention strategies that might be used with this population.
NOTE: With these thoughts in mind:
Write a brief summary of an article that illustrates the needs of a selected population as related to substance abuse and/or addiction. Then, briefly describe at least two intervention strategies that might be used with this population, given those needs. Provide specific examples and explain how each intervention might be applied.
Note: Put the name of the population you are discussing in the first line of your post. You will be asked to respond to a colleague who discussed a different population from the one you selected.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.
Learning Resources
Readings
? Course Text: Substance Abuse Counseling
?
o Chapter 11, “Working with Selected Populations: Treatment Issues and Characteristics” (pp. 287-310)
o Chapter 13, “Prevention” (pp. 336?357)
? Course Text: Critical Incidents in Addictions Counseling
?
o Chapter 8, “Counseling Addicted Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Persons” (pp. 53-60)
o Chapter 9, “Addictions Counseling With African Americans” (pp. 61-68)
o Chapter 10, “Latinos and Addictions Counseling” (pp. 69-73)
o Chapter 11, “Addictions Counseling With Asian American Clients” (pp. 75-81)
o Chapter 12, “Addiction Among the Native American Population” (pp. 83-88)
? An article from the Walden Library that discusses substance abuse and/or addiction in a selected population of your choice and that addresses the needs of that population. The article must be from a peer-reviewed journal.
Required Text
Texts
Stevens, P., & Smith, R. L. (2013). Substance abuse counseling: Theory and practice (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Kelly, V. A., & Juhnke, G. A., eds. (2005). Critical incidents in addictions counseling. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.