Reimagining Substance Use: From Policy to Practice
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm (EST)
Presenter: Nick Szubiak, MSW, LiCSW
Credits: 1.5 Social Work CEUs
Cost: FREE for NASW Members & Non-Members
REGISTER HERE
Substance use disorders remain among the most stigmatized and misunderstood health conditions, often shaped by outdated policies and rigid treatment models that fail to reflect current science. This webinar invites social workers and behavioral health professionals to reimagine substance use care by bridging the gap between policy, neuroscience, and day-to-day clinical practice. Participants will explore how modern understandings of addiction as a chronic, relapsing brain condition call for continuum-based, person-centered responses rather than episodic or punitive approaches. The session examines the evolution of substance use diagnosis, the impact of stigma and bias on care delivery, and the role of social workers in identifying and addressing harmful substance use earlier through screening and brief intervention.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the impact of stigma, bias, and policy-driven assumptions on access to care and treatment outcomes for individuals with substance use disorders.
- Explain the role of screening and brief intervention (SBIRT) in detecting harmful substance use and intervening earlier across all social work settings
- Demonstrate how social workers can translate policy priorities (integration, recovery orientation, trauma-informed care) into concrete clinical and organizational practices.
Program provided by NASW with support from the Opioid Response Network (ORN).
Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 1H79TI088037 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
This program is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval #886406141-4926) for 1.5 Social Work continuing education contact hours.
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