Behavioral Health Practice Tools

Substance use during pregnancy is common: about 1 in 7 pregnant people drink alcohol, 1 in 20 binge drink, and 4 in 10 of those who drink also use other substances, most frequently tobacco and cannabis. January is Birth Defects Awareness Month, a call to action for social workers to share a key message: for a healthy pregnancy, it is safest to avoid alcohol, smoking, and other recreational drugs.

Effective January 1, 2025, clinical social workers will be able to seek reimbursement for Safety Planning and Follow-up Interventions. Establishment of these payment services is an important step by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help address the growing suicide and overdose populations.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is most prevalent during the fall and winter months. During these months, some people may experience depressive symptoms when daylight decreases at the end of the summer. Sadly, many people do not receive a diagnosis for SAD because it can manifest as other disorders like bipolar disorder.

The Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative (PAARI) invited The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to review their Best Practices for Embedding a Social Worker in Your Police Department guide. Given the increasing interest in the integration of social workers into law enforcement, embedded social workers who are currently working in police departments or who aspire to work in the police department can use this document as a reference.

September is National Recovery Month which was established in 1989 with the purpose of advancing evidence-based treatment and recovery methods for those impacted by mental health and substance use conditions. Throughout Recovery Month, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) acknowledges the importance of stable housing, the need to provide resources pertaining to social determinants of health that may affect recovery efforts, and the need for improved health and wellness outcomes. 

Social workers across practice settings provide services to individuals, including pregnant people, who are consuming alcohol at risky levels. Reducing problematic alcohol use is crucial to preventing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs)—neurodevelopmental disabilities and birth defects that can occur in a baby exposed to alcohol before birth. FASDs represent a range of behavioral, intellectual, and physical disabilities across the lifespan, and might affect up to 5% of school children nationwide. Accurate figures regarding FASD prevalence is hampered by underreporting and persistent challenges in diagnosis.