Social Workers Have Skills to Help Cure Opioid Crisis

By Angelo McClain

Opioids are ravaging our nation, but the opioid crisis is just one symptom of a broader epidemic of social problems. People who live with depression or anxiety are twice as likely to struggle with substance abuse – and Americans are showing more signs of depression than they have in decades.

To address our nation’s drug abuse crisis, we must address the social problems fueling it. Law enforcement alone can’t do that. Neither can the medical community.

Social workers can. They possess a skill set that’s unique in our public health system, one that focuses on addressing people’s health needs holistically.