From the Editor: Au Revoir, Not Adieu¹

As we all know, the year 2020 has been a difficult one. The worldwide novel coronavirus, known as the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States (U.S), the U.S elections, the racial divisions, the politicalization of science, the economic concerns – all have taken a heavy psychological toll. It has certainly been draining on me, my family and my many students, friends, and readers of this Journal. Yet, as I write this, a few days before Thanksgiving, it also has given many of us something to be grateful for. For me, I am grateful to being physically healthy and able to conclude editing this issue of the Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions. Starting 20 years ago with an idea for a journal aimed at social work clinicians working with substance and other process addicted individuals (oh, how the terminology keeps changing) and their families and with the initial support of Bill Cohen and his Haworth Press and, more recently, by the administration and staff of the Taylor and Francis Group, the years since I wrote my first editorial in August 2000 passed by quickly. I am grateful to see this Journal succeed as a significant source of information and professional contribution for many social workers and related professionals. Now it is time for me to retire from editing it. Hopefully, it is au revoir and not a final adieu.

I am pleased that the Journal will continue in the capable hands and directions of Dr. Lisa Berger, Professor at the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. As I turn the Journal over, I want to thank all of my Journal assistants, editors and reviewers for the past 20 years. Obviously, I could not have done this without each of you.

I want to end with the words from my first editorial that outlined the vision for this Journal:

This journal aims to cover the broad range of social work’s involvement in the addictions field – from primary prevention to treatment to social policy, from program administration to research to education and training. Nonetheless, as the title of the journal indicates, the bottom line purpose of this journal is ‘Social Work Practice.’ Knowledge without application is interesting – but it is not ‘social work.’ We need to have more evidence-based knowledge on all levels of social work practice, including micro, mezzo, and macro, to become more aware of what ‘works’ and for whom, and how todevelop new approaches and programs. We also need to share our practice wisdom and to learn from each other (Straussner, 2001).¹

I hope that we have accomplished some of these goals and that they will continue to guide the future contributions of this Journal.

Wishing all of you the very best.

Notes

1. To borrow from Roger Cohen, a columnist for the New York Times, Nov. 15, 2020, p. SR 3.