Contemporary Responses to Substance Use

The Contemporary Responses to Substance Use module (CDAS11006) examines multiple approaches and perspectives on treatment and interventions used in relation to problematic substance use.  The module examines responses from medical, criminal justice, public health, social and community models.  Themes are considered across Scottish, European and International contexts.  Sociodemographic characteristics such as, occupational class, gender and age are explored providing students specialist knowledge of traditional, contemporary and innovative approaches to managing problematic substance use from a variety of social and geographic contexts.  Topics explored include approaches to prevention and harm reduction, therapeutic responses, cognitive-behavioural and motivational approaches, community and peer led methods and the often contested concept of recovery.  Pharmacological interventions are considered in the context of harm reduction, relapse prevention and recovery. Interventions are considered in the overarching policy and practice aims of reducing the negative consequences of substance use.

The evidence that supports different approaches and responses forms an important element of this module, allowing students to critically evaluate the evidence base on which such interventions, policies and practices rest.  Treatment outcomes and follow-up studies are investigated in order to consider the effectiveness of strategies that respond to the wide ranging impacts on health, offending, family, child protection, employment and community issues associated with substance use.

• Consider a range of responses to substance use
• Consider the evidence for the effectiveness of responses
• Harm reduction and preventive responses
• Treatment and treatment outcomes
• Perspectives on recovery

At the end of this module the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate critical understanding of the differing perspectives on substance use.
• Critically understand the effectiveness of secondary prevention/harm reduction responses to substance use.
• Critically understand behaviour change processes and the role and effectiveness of treatment interventions in recovery.
• Critically understand environmental influences (family, significant others, community) on behaviour change and recovery.

This is an SCQF Level 11 module and upon successful completion, participants will be awarded 20 credits.

 

Delivery 

This module will be delivered online with face-to-face learning.  To be confirmed.

 

Course presenter

This module will be delivered by Dr Kate Miller.

 

Funding

This course may be available on a fully funded basis to some delegates.  Further details, including regarding eligibility, are available under Funding Support.

If you have any questions, please contact us at cpd@uws.ac.uk 

 

NOTE: This is a university module and upon approval of your application, you will be invited to register and then supported to complete enrolment. To enrol on the university system, the first step involves security set-up using the Microsoft Authenticator app; you will need to ensure that you have a compatible smartphone.

Further enrolment information is available at the Student Information Portal.

To access this module via the CPD route, individuals should be ordinarily resident in Scotland.  

 

PgDip Contemporary Drug & Alcohol Studies (CDAS)

In addition to being available on a CPD basis, this module is part of our PgDip Contemporary Drug & Alcohol Studies.

Modules available through the UWS CPD Centre include:

• Understanding Substance Use
• Contemporary Responses to Substance Use
• The Politics of Drug & Alcohol Policy

For further information, please contact ask@uws.ac.uk