Psychology and Drug Abuse Assignments

UNIT 3 DISCUSSION

In 400-600 words respond to the following:

You have started a new job with a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) agency that also incorporates other types of evidence-based therapies into its organization. Your boss asks you to run a weekly therapy group to assist high-risk users of crisis care. She asks you to prepare 400-600 words for her to use in a brochure, which will propose the style of therapy you will use and explain evidence-based treatments. This proposal will be given to these high-risk clients in hopes that they will join the group.

Be sure to include the following in your proposal:

• The style of therapy you intend to use
• An explanation of evidence-based treatments you intend to use

UNIT 3 INDIVIDUAL PROJECT

You are a counselor in a new youth facility at a local prison. All of the youths are on the mental health caseload. You are in charge of running at least one group therapy and are also in charge of your own caseload in which you engage them in individual counseling. The youths on your caseload need to successfully complete 1 group and at least 8 weeks of individual counseling to gain good days and be able to go home sooner. You need to utilize evidenced-based therapy to illustrate progress not only to your assigned caseload but also to retain your job.

Your boss asks you to see an adolescent client who is considered to be a high risk. This client is a regular at the local mental health crisis unit. He threatens suicide, but his cuts are superficial and not life threatening.

Address the following:

• Give 2 types of evidenced-based therapeutic interventions open to this client, and explain how you would utilize them. What type of therapy do you suggest as the best recommendation for this client to attend?
• Provide a description of 2 benefits and 1 drawback that each evidenced-based therapeutic intervention provides. How might your client react to this assistance, and how might you convince him to try therapy?

UNIT 4 DISCUSSION

You are working in a new youth-oriented (adolescents 13–17 years of age) agency that has hired you to complete initial assessments. It is up to you to develop the tool you will use to evaluate new clients for treatment in your facility. Your boss asks you to provide 4 styles of assessment: one to use on the client’s initial visit; one for use in gathering psychosocial history information; one to diagnose and refer clients for treatment; and lastly, he asks you to put together a format for evaluating risk assessment for juvenile inmates who are ready for placement in your facility’s group home.

Your boss asks you to see an adolescent, 13-year-old client who is considered to be a low risk and is starting to commit petty theft.

Address the following:

• Explain 2 types of assessments you can use to open this client to your services.
• Explain how you would utilize each of the assessments.
• Identify 1 benefit and 1 potential drawback that each assessment provides.
• How might your client react to this assistance, and how might you convince him to give therapy a try?

UNIT 4 INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

You are working in a group home that takes low- and medium-risk juvenile offenders. The home refuses sex offenders, arsonists, and murderers. Your boss has asked you to research assessment tools to help you weed out the high-risk offenders that are refused. She has asked you to write a report stating how you plan to screen potential residents of your facility to ensure that the correct type of resident is chosen for the highly desired available spots at the group home.

Address the following:

• Research assessment tools to help you determine how you will weed out high-risk offenders.
• Present 2 types of clients that will be accepted by the home.
• State how you plan to screen potential clients of your facility to ensure that the correct types of clients are chosen.
• State what type of assessment the group home will expect the potential resident to complete and at least 2 reasons why this is important.

This assignment is in the form of a report. You should cite sources using APA format, and include a reference section at the end of your submission.

UNIT 5 DISCUSSION

Create a case study based on one of the categories from Chapter 11, 12, or 13. In your case example provide a scenario and explain the situation. (Note: the case study should include a family member and child).

Following the development of your case study, respond to each of the following questions and incorporate and cite at least two credible resources in your responses.

• Describe the factors that indicate a (chronic or fatal) condition was present and its impact on the family.
• Describe the risk factors, stressors, and challenges the family member faced in his or her parenting situation due to the condition.
• How does understanding these risk factors, stressors, and challenges help you support the family member within your professional counselor role?
• Give two strategies that you would use to ensure that the family member and their child receive the support they need.

DRUG USE AND ABUSE

UNIT 3 DISCUSSION

In 400-600 words respond to the following:

Substance-abuse problems not only affect the user but also his or her family and relationships. Write a report that addresses the effects of substance abuse on the family and relationships of the user, covering the following issues.

• Discuss the impact that substance abuse can have on the dynamics and functioning of a family.
• What is codependence, and how might it relate to the family or relationship dynamics affected by substance abuse?
• Is there an association between substance abuse and family violence?
• Explain the ways that family issues may need to be addressed in providing substance-abuse treatment.

UNIT 3 INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

Case Information

Fran S. was arrested for prescription fraud when she tried to obtain prescription painkillers at a pharmacy with a fake prescription. You have been asked to assess her situation and make treatment recommendations to the court.

Fran S. is a 32-year-old employee at a local bank. She was briefly hospitalized after a car accident 14 months ago and sustained injuries to her neck and back. Her doctor prescribed painkillers for these injuries. He told her that she should only take the painkillers for a few months, but Fran found that she liked the feelings of calm and relaxation that the painkillers produced. Even though the pain from her neck and back went away, she kept telling her doctor that she was in pain so that he would continue prescribing the drugs. When her own doctor told her that he would no longer prescribe the painkillers for her, she found it difficult to go for more than a few days without the painkillers (she reported feeling anxious, irritable, and “not herself” when she stopped taking them) and found another doctor who would prescribe her painkillers.

Fran told herself that the painkillers helped her get through her day, but she started missing deadlines at work and repeatedly coming in late, putting her job in jeopardy. Her husband also reported a difference in her behavior, saying that she was detached, much more irritable and likely to start arguments over minor issues, which had not been a problem in the past. Fran started taking larger doses of the painkillers because she had stopped feeling their effects at the smaller doses. Her second doctor became suspicious of how frequently she needed prescriptions and refused to prescribe her any more drugs. Fran tried again to stop using the painkillers but found that she was experiencing problems, such as headaches, blurred vision, and anxiety, when she was not taking the painkillers. She could not find another doctor to prescribe her the painkillers, so Fran started submitting fake prescriptions to the pharmacy.

Assignment Instructions

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Dis s, 5th Edition (DSM-5) lists the criteria for assessing whether a person has a substance use dis , which it divides into three levels of severity: mild, moderate, or severe. Use your available resources to research the DSM-5 criteria for this dis .

Assignment Guidelines

• In a Word document of 1,500-2,500 words, address the following:
  • Provide a summary of the symptoms necessary to diagnose a substance use dis according to the DSM-5.
  • Identify the differences between the criteria for assessing mild, moderate, or severe substance use dis according to the DSM-5 and the previous DSM-IV criteria for Substance Abuse and Substance dependence.
  • What level of Substance Use Dis (if any) would you diagnose Fran with and why? Which diagnostic criteria does she meet?
    • Support your diagnosis with examples and research.
  • Based on the case information presented, what recommendations would you make for treatment for Fran? Support your choices with evidence from the professional literature.
  • What are current demographics and trends in the abuse of prescription medication? Explain.
    • What are the contributing factors to these trends and demographics?
  • Give at least 2 suggestions for how a doctor might work to prevent a patient from becoming addicted to prescription drugs.
• Compile your responses to the above information into your final Word document.
  • The paper must be 1,500-2,500 words in length.
• All sources must be referenced using APA style.

UNIT 4 DISCUSSION

In 400-600 words respond to the following:

Jack T. is 22 years of age, unmarried, and unemployed. Growing up, he lived in a low-income neighborhood that had a high crime rate and fell in with a group of adolescents who had histories of delinquency. He started smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol at the age of 13 and soon began experimenting with marijuana and painkillers. His family life was unstable because his father was unemployed and an alcoholic who took out his anger on his wife and two children, including Jack.

While in his teens, Jack avoided spending time at home as much as possible, and his peer group experimented with drugs and alcohol. Jack has been convicted of theft. As part of his probation, Jack underwent evaluation for his substance abuse issues, which identified narcotics (specifically heroin) as his drug of choice. He completed detoxification, and is about to complete a 30-day inpatient treatment program.

Instructions

Describe an aftercare outpatient treatment plan for Jack that will address his ongoing need for treatment, relapse prevention efforts, and specifics of monitoring compliance. Be sure to address any risk factors for him using drugs again, suggestions for monitoring his progress, and programs that you think would be appropriate to aid his recovery.

Use the Internet and Library databases in your research. Be sure to cite all references

UNIT 4 INDIVIDUAL PROJEJCT

There are several efforts directed at teenagers that try to prevent them from using drugs. These efforts seem to have been met with mixed results. In this assignment, you will research the issues of drug use and prevention among adolescents.

Assignment Guidelines

• Address the following in a Word document that is 1,500-2,000 words in length:
  • What does the literature say are the most important risk factors associated with adolescent drug use?
  • From your own perspective, what have been the trends in adolescent drug use over the past decade? Are there published statistics that can support your observations?
    • Which drugs do you feel are most commonly used?
    • Do you think drug use has been increasing or decreasing?
  • o What are 3 ways in which have been used to prevent adolescents from using drugs? Explain.
    • Have these approaches been successful? Explain and provide evidence.
  • What do you feel are the best methods for treating adolescents with drug problems? Why?
• All sources must be referenced using APA style.