title: The need for substance abuse training among mental health professionals.
abstract: This study examines substance abuse as encountered by practitioners in six major mental health professions, from private practice to organizational settings. Respective national professional associations surveyed representative samples of their members, including psychiatrists, psychologists, professional counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and substance abuse counselors. About one in five clients seen in private practice of mental health professionals had substance abuse disorders, with somewhat higher rates in organized mental health treatment settings. For a large majority of clients, substance abuse was secondary to a mental disorder. A significant minority of these practitioners reported having little or no training to address substance abuse, either from formal graduate education, internships, or continuing education.
authors.affiliation: Practice Services Network Coordinating Center, The Lewin Group, 3130 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, VA 22042, USA. rick.harwood@lewin.com
authors.forename: Henrick J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Harwood
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kowalski
authors.forename: Ansari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ameen
mesh_terms: D004517:Education, Professional; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D011584:Psychology / Q000193:education*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce