After you have completed your assigned readings, respond to all of the discussion board questions. Take into consideration the requirements as you create your response.

Discussion Questions

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupation Outlook Handbook predicts that “Employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow … much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth is expected as people continue to seek addiction and mental health counseling services….Demand for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is also expected to increase as states seek treatment and counseling services for drug offenders rather than jail time.”
  • Given the raging opioid use disorder epidemic, do you think the percent of growth prediction of still accurate?
    • Cite the percent in your answer.
    • If you do not think it is accurate, provide evidence to refute this and support a different number by including an article or alternative source of information.
  • After reviewing the Bureau of Labor Statistics data, what role do you think should the U.S. government, state government, and/or higher education play in workforce development, and why?

• Straussner (2001) indicates that “As the twenty-first century begins, social workers are a significant presence in the field of addictions. The social work profession’s unique biopsychosocial perspective, its flexibility in adapting to new streams of thought and incorporating them into practice, and its ability to integrate disparate programming into a systemic whole (e.g., dual diagnosis), make it a profession extremely well suited to the ever changing field of addictions.”
  • Compare the history of the addiction counseling profession with that of the much older profession of social workers. What is similar and what is different in the historical trajectories of each?