title: Fostering client connections with Alcoholics Anonymous: a framework for social workers in various practice settings.
abstract: Alcohol abuse is common among clients in human service agencies, but most never seek help for their drinking problems, either in professional treatment or self-help (mutual aid) groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.). A.A. is a widely-available resource, but it is not always introduced to clients in a manner that fosters acceptance of A.A. Social workers in various practice settings can facilitate A.A. affiliation by working collaboratively with clients, seeking a goodness-of-fit between client needs and the resources available within A.A. This article offers a pragmatic approach to initial A.A. involvement, intended to help professionals utilize barriers to affiliation as opportunities for furthering both counseling goals and the connection to A.A.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Syracuse University, NY 13244, USA. pecaldwe@syr.edu
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Caldwell
mesh_terms: D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000436:Alcoholics Anonymous; D019090:Case Management / Q000592:standards; D019058:Community Networks; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards; D012949:Social Work, Psychiatric / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards