By John Coppolla, CSW, Executive Director,
Social Work, Chemical Dependency, Advocacy and Policy
By John Coppolla, CSW, Executive Director,
NY Association of Alcoholism and Substance
Abuse Providers, Inc.
Social workers are an invaluable part of the chemical dependency treatment and
prevention services workforce. With a variety of professional orientations including
clinical, policy, research, and advocacy, social work helps to shape the direction
of chemical dependency services. Particularly since persons with chemical dependency
disorders and those who work in the field are so stigmatized, the social work
commitment to advocacy and public policy is especially enriching for our field.
As a social worker skilled in providing chemical dependency treatment and school
and community-based prevention services, I have experienced the unique contribution
that the social work perspective can make in the provision of chemical dependency
services. As schools of social work strengthen their chemical dependency course
content, social workers will be able to enter the chemical dependency field
and make a more immediate and profound impact on the delivery of services in
the future.
After many years of clinical experience in an outpatient treatment setting,
and providing school and community-based chemical dependency prevention services
for the past seven years, my social work efforts have focused on public policy
and advocacy work as Executive Director of the New York Association of Alcoholism
and Substance Abuse Providers, Inc. (ASAP).
ASAP is a not-for-profit membership association that provides a unified voice
on behalf of organizations, groups and ndividuals that prevent and alleviate
the profound personal, social and economic consequences of addiction in New
York State. With close to 300 members, ASAP represents the interests of the
largest alcoholism and substance services system in the world and is among the
largest and most influential chemical dependency service provider associations
in the United States.
ASAP advocates predominantly in Albany and Washington, but also in NYC and counties
throughout NYS for funding, legislation, and regulations that facilitate the
provision of chemical dependency treatment and prevention services. ASAP’s
public policy team has developed an excellent reputation with key staff in the
Governor’s Office, the Senate, the Assembly, and numerous state agencies.
ASAP’s numerous working committees provide our members with the opportunity
to help develop a comprehensive public policy agenda and influence the direction
that our field takes with respect to service delivery.
ASAP membership includes programs from throughout New York State that provide
alcoholism and substance abuse prevention, treatment, research, and training.
Research members include universities, research institutes and training organizations.
Local, regional and statewide associations and coalitions that address alcoholism
and substance abuse issues are also an important component of ASAP’s membership.
ASAP is committed to the ongoing improvement of chemical dependency treatment
and prevention services. In addition to conducting statewide conferences and
other professional development activities, ASAP has developed regional Practice
Research Networks comprised of treatment and prevention professionals and researchers.
These networks convene to discuss strategies for better collaboration between
research and practice. The goal is to strengthen the link between science and
service and to infuse the benefits of research into practice. Evidence-based
practice and service outcomes are being increasingly emphasized in treatment
and prevention programs. ASAP has been a catalyst in helping programs throughout
the state to make practice/research collaboration more a part of the culture
of the field.
There is a very real value for social workers to identify themselves as chemical
dependency professionals as a strategy to overcome the stigma associated with
chemical dependency disorders and with the professionals who work in that field.
It is when competent, experienced, professional social workers, who work in
chemical dependency programs, stand up and make themselves and their issues
known to their social work peers that the status of chemical dependency work
will increase across specialty areas. It is of value to NASW to have chemical
dependency work-groups and committees. It is likewise of value to ASAP to have
social workers collaborate to focus on social work issues in the chemical dependency
field. Cooperation between NASW and ASAP to heighten awareness of the contribution
social workers make to the chemical dependency field would be time and energy
well spent.
We should be proud of the influence social work is having on the chemical dependency
field. We should be equally proud of the influence working in the chemical dependency
field is having on the way we do social work. r
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