Harm Reduction: A Social Work Practice Model and Social

Brocato, Jo; Wagner, Eric F.

doi:10.1093/hsw/28.2.117

Cited by 38 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…As we have stated, the analysis revealed that criticism and appreciation of the policies echoed the core features of harm reduction approaches for people with substance use problems. These features were (i) dignity and self-determination, (ii) pragmatism (including different trade-offs), and (iii) reduced consumption as a long-term goal (Marlatt & Witkiewitz, 2002;Brocato & Wagner, 2003;Lee & Petersen, 2009;Vakharia & Little, 2017). The research team, therefore, centered the analysis on the reasoning among residents and staff about these features in an attempt to provide empirical knowledge on features that research has commonly discussed in relation to broad policies (Andersen & Järvinen, 2007).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Wet eldercare facilities operate on an assumption that is central to harm reduction: some people cannot abstain from alcohol, and based on the knowledge that their lifestyles are harmful, the facility must adopt a permissive approach they find acceptable (Brocato & Wagner, 2003). We refer to this as a pragmatic approach, in which trade-offs are key.…”

Section: Pragmatismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Treatment programs introduced harm reduction arrangements for people with substance use problems as humane and nonmoralistic alternatives to policies that aim for abstinence, and proponents have stressed that such arrangements are guided by values such as dignity and self-determination (Marlatt & Witkiewitz, 2002;Brocato & Wagner, 2003). Typically, services aim to reduce harm through the provision of practical, medical, and social services.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Finding a fair deal: Policies on alcohol and drugs at “wet” eldercare facilities

Jönson

Højgaard-Bøytler

Harnett

2022

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Pragmatismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Finding a fair deal: Policies on alcohol and drugs at “wet” eldercare facilities

Jönson

Højgaard-Bøytler

Harnett

2022

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment

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“…Harm reduction began to become a medicalized (thereby professionalized) intervention, extracting it from its community-based and radical roots. Social work literature and practice began supporting harm reduction as a viable intervention, as it aligns with espoused social work values and has proven more effective than traditional approaches (Brocato & Wagner, 2003).…”

Section: Transformative Justice and Accountabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Reflections on the Ethical Possibilities and Limitations of Abolitionist Praxis in Social Work

Murray

Copeland

Dettlaff

2023

Affilia

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Since 2020, blatant forms of state violence within the United States have reignited attention in the field of social work, where numerous calls have been made to realign and reconsider our standing ethical values and principles. Individually, social workers are beginning to reckon with the field's role within the carceral ecosystem and reimagining practice outside the confines of the carceral state. Institutionally, however, social work's professional organizations have reacted in contradictory ways. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) in particular has been overtly inconsistent; touting support for racial justice while also broadcasting long-standing support for and partnerships with police. Furthermore, the NASW purportedly upholds a set of professional ethics and values that center social justice while also supporting tactics that surveil and criminalize marginalized communities. This disconnect between espoused ethics and actuality of practice undermines the professional legitimacy of social work. The profession must either acknowledge the current Code of Ethics as performative or take action to bring practice into alignment with professed ethics that affirm abolitionist practices. Using institutional social work statements, this article presents a conceptual exploration of the ethical potentials and limitations of abolitionist praxis in social work, culminating with a call to action.

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“…Social work, especially that which is carried out by employees within state or municipal authorities, includes to varying extents a power hierarchy of social worker over client, as well as practices of surveillance and control [ 5 ]. Proponents of a harm reduction perspective in social work with PWUD argue that this could reduce moralism, imply a reduced focus on abstinence, lower thresholds, and increase equality in the relationship between client and professional [ 1 , 6 – 8 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Harm reduction social work with people who use drugs: a qualitative interview study with social workers in harm reduction services in Sweden

Richert,

Stallwitz,

Nordgren

2023

Harm Reduct J

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Background Social work with people who use drugs (PWUD) has traditionally focused on abstinence and rehabilitation. In recent years, harm reduction has gained an increasingly more important role in social work with PWUD, and social workers are key professionals in many harm reduction services. This study investigates how social workers in harm reduction services for PWUD in Sweden understand the concept of harm reduction and how it relates to goals of rehabilitation, and how they assess and deal with dilemmas and challenges in everyday work. Methods The study is based on interviews with 22 social workers in harm reduction services for PWUD in the Scania region of Sweden. A thematic analysis in three steps was used in coding and processing the data. Results The social workers pointed to similar values between social work and harm reduction and argued for combining the two fields to improve services for PWUD. Three overarching principles for Harm Reduction Social Work (HRSW) were developed based on the social workers accounts: (1) Harm reduction is a prerequisite for rather than a counterpoint to rehabilitation and recovery, (2) motivational work must be non-mandatory and based on the client’s goals, (3) a holistic perspective is crucial for Harm Reduction Social Work. Challenges in doing HRSW concerned restrictive laws, policies, and guidelines, resistance from managers, difficulties in setting boundaries between client autonomy and life-saving interventions, and the risk of normalizing high-risk behaviors. Conclusions We use the concept of Harm Reduction Social Work to show how social work with PWUD can have a primary focus on reducing harm and risks, while at the same time it involves a holistic perspective that facilitates motivation and change. The suggested principles of HRSW can provide guidance in practical social work with vulnerable PWUD. Social workers can have important roles in most harm reduction settings and may act to enable recovery.

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Harm Reduction: A Social Work Practice Model and Social

Cited by 38 publications

References 0 publications

Finding a fair deal: Policies on alcohol and drugs at “wet” eldercare facilities

Finding a fair deal: Policies on alcohol and drugs at “wet” eldercare facilities

Reflections on the Ethical Possibilities and Limitations of Abolitionist Praxis in Social Work

Harm reduction social work with people who use drugs: a qualitative interview study with social workers in harm reduction services in Sweden

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