Behavioral Health Service Use Among Licensed Social Workers: A Qualitative Inquiry

ABSTRACT

This paper presents qualitative data collected from 996 licensed social workers in the United States who reported mental health and/or alcohol and other drug problems and indicated the types of services they used to address these issues. Outpatient therapy was the most commonly accessed modality to treat mental health issues. Regarding problems with alcohol and other drugs, self-help groups were the most frequently utilized intervention. Qualitative findings suggest that behavioral health service use has influenced respondents’ work with clients, personal and professional development, and career trajectories. Barriers to service use, such as stigma and limited access to care, were also identified. Implications for social work education and professional practice are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Behavioral health service use
• mental health
• substance misuse
• social workers
• professional impairment
• qualitative research

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The funding for this study was provided to Dr. Straussner by the Office for Research at New York University Silver School of Social Work.