Lesson 10: Vocational Factors Impacted by Drug and Alcohol Abuse


Attention

 

According to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) – 2014 (PDF | 3.4 MB), about two-thirds (66.6%) of people aged 12 or older reported in 2014 that they drank alcohol in the past 12 months, with 6.4% meeting criteria for an alcohol use disorder.

Also among Americans aged 12 or older, the use of illicit drugs has increased over the last decade from 8.3% of the population using illicit drugs in the past month in 2002 to 10.2% (27 million people) in 2014. Of those, 7.1 million people met criteria for an illicit drug use disorder in the past year.

The misuse of prescription drugs is second only to marijuana as the nation’s most common drug problem after alcohol and tobacco, leading to troubling increases in opioid overdoses in the past decade.

These statistics are just the tip of the iceberg identifying the potential problem of Drug and Alcohol abuse.  In many cases this abuse is combined with a mental illness diagnosis. As community rehabilitation providers you will find that individuals with these concerns make up a large number of the consumers you work with.


Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:

Learning Outcomes

  • Understand the role of a MHRT/C in supporting an individual with a diagnosis of Drug and Alcohol abuse in pursuing a vocational goal. 
  • Identify the specific factors in the vocational profile that will require accommodation and strategic service planning.
  • Apply the use of the vocational profile of an individual diagnosed with substance abuse to develop and or facilitate a supported employment plan.

Teaching

Read: Alcohol Related Disorders

Now we have reviewed a number of theoretical models for serving the vocational needs of individuals with disabilities.  We have discussed some tools and techniques for providing services.  The practical implementation of these theories is when we take action and apply this knowledge in a practical manner.  This involves motivation and engagement directly with the consumer in the development of the vocational profile and accommodations required to be successful in the workplace.   Motivation is best described as a client’s willingness to take the necessary action to develop and sustain a change strategy. There are a variety of treatment programs available to assist individuals in making change.

REVIEW THIS TABLE.

All people are motivated in some way. But not all are motivated to take the action required to obtain a job.  You can't motivate anyone, but what you can do is assist the consumer in developing this change strategy that will result in employment.  When you help them understand their own vocational profile and how it impacts  their access to competitive employment, the clients develop hope and begin to work.  They first work at changing their own attitudes and then they work for an employer.


Assessment

Lesson 10 Quiz

  1. Review the Case Study in the reading (Alcohol Related Disorders - p. 442). Identify three vocational profile factors that impact Sally's ability to obtain and maintain employment.  Support your answers with content from the reading.  
  2. What kind of employment support system would be most beneficial for Sally? Support your answers with content from the reading.