Social Justice Social Work Value/Social Justice- For centuries, philosophers have puzzled the human condition. Since humans have lived together there have been queries about how and why humans acts the way they do, not just individually, but how they form partnerships, groups and are able to cooperate enough for survival and the future possibilities for society. In particular. As technology continues to increase, so do the complexities of societal integration, and even more questions about the nature of humanity. Together, all these models form a generalization about what it means to be human and how that humanity faces challenges within the more negative aspects of human behavior. This is exemplified, for instance, in the works of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., who noted: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly… Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider…" (King, 1996). This paradigm forms the basis of social justice as a social work paradigm, in that justice is defined as working for all individuals, regardless of stance.

Overview Prescription Drug Abuse -- Prescription drugs are the second most abused category of drugs -- just behind marijuana but ahead of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines. In fact, the government's own National Institute of Health estimates that about 20% of the U.S. population have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons. The seriousness comes because many prescriptions drugs are both addictive and, if abused, then limit the use when individuals are in need. For instance, painkillers like OxyContin or Vicodin, sedatives like Valium and Xanax, and even stimulants like Ritalin, Adderall, and Dexedrine are commonly used for reasons they were not prescribed. Hospitals report that almost half of the hospital ER admissions for drug overdose (or nearly 1/2 million people per anum) are from misused prescription drugs (CRC Health, 2011).

Overview Chardon, OH & PDA -- Chardon, Ohio is an exurb of the Greater Cleveland area with a population of just over 5,000. It is known for its maple syrup industry, which begins in March. The median age of the population is 41, with 42% of the households being married couples and an average household size of 2.21. The population is almost 97% White, with the remaining Black, Asian and Native American, a clear Caucasian bedroom community (U.S. Census, 2012). Estimates range from 10-20% of the population of Chardon and surrounding areas who are at risk for prescription drug abuse, with the trend increasing during the 21st century (USDrugtrends.com, 2013). Likely, due to the demographic make-up of the community, most of the drug abuse cases in Chardon focus on teens and young adults who abuse alcohol, marijuana and prescription drugs. The large Caucasian and middle class population of the area holds more opportunities for prescription drug abuse than many other communities, and research shows that the pressures of modern life now extend into the adolescent and early adolescent population who first get hooked on prescription drugs from the family medicine cabinet. Ironically, in Chardon, adolescent girls are seen as one of the most vulnerable and at-risk populations for PDA (Columbus Girls Academy, 2013;

Kirst-Ashman and Hull Targets -- The Kirst-Ashman & Hull theoretical approach to social work (KAH) revolves around the basic paradigm that social workers are generalists and must therefore take a multi-disciplinary approach to the field. The basic model is that a social worker does not pick and choose the type of problem, but looks at the individual and community in a more holistic manner and then prepares to help solve a problem. This approach holds that issues may occur in a number of settings, with a number of age groups, ethnicities, genders, and must follow a Generalist Intervention Model (GIM) with certain characteristics (Kirst-Ashman, et al., 2012, pp. 3-5). The GIM model is supported through knowledge, skills and values; with steps that move from engagement and assessment, to planning and implementation, and finally through evaluation and termination. The process is fluid, evolving, and may require many steps in order to get to the final result; which then starts again with a new population or group (Kirst-Ashman, et al., 2011). When dealing with prescription drug abuse, the generalist approach focuses on family assessment skills, with particular attention towards family community, structure, life-cycle adjustments, and the ability for the family to acknowledge that there...

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Additionally, generalist practice does not mean that every problem may be solved in every situation, but only that taking a generalist approach will help target some issues and will accomplish more than no action or limited action. One of the dimensions that makes this model powerful involves a focus on targeting the environment for change, or being specific about which societal issue needs focus. In our case, it is the idea of PDA within a smaller community. Targets of this change are not limited to individuals of families, but may be also extended to policies and procedures. In the case of PDA, one may certainly look at the family group as a way of enabling PDA, issues within the school system in terms of counseling, but one might also look at the macro environment to find whether certain doctors may be over prescribing, or may not be as careful when allowing refills for certain medications. Looking at the environment, the Kirst-Ashman Hull target paradigm requires that a more broad level, motivational model be addressed for PDA in Chardon, one that includes certainly the users and affected groups, but also healthcare facilities, pharmacies that may also see a pattern of potential abuse, public health officials, and clearly, the public school system (Kirst, 2011, p. 6).

Professional and Personal Risks -- As in any field in which there may be contentious opinions regarding private matters, there are both personal and professional risks when dealing with PDA. Because of the population demographics in Chardon, it is likely that there will be considerable pressure to cover up PDA, particularly when dealing with community leaders, professionals, or more wealthy individuals. There is likely to be a great deal of denial that a problem even exists, particularly when some of the signs of PDA are subtle at the beginning and may not manifest regularly. Research shows that most individuals tend to be risk adverse, and thus confronting situations of PDA within the home or school may result in backing away from contentious situations, fear of conflict or attack (personally or professionally), threats to one's career or person, or other more subtle, but no less effective tools of psychological terrorism (Munro, 2004).

Social Work Ethics- As noted, social justice is not simply a concept for egalitarianism in society -- it is a way of being, an attitude, and a way of looking at society in a new manner. Within this model of social work, particularly when dealing with issues involving substance abuse, it is important that the social worker view the universe in an egalitarian manner, and must be particularly wary of allowing any anti-oppressive practices to enter into the treatment or carative model. Clearly, social workers must not only explore new theories and methods to improve any anti-oppressive practices, but they must also combine a multidisciplinary approach to the field that helps build a more robust tool-box of material from which to draw: philosophy, ethics, anthropology, cultural bias, legalism, and even more -- a holistic approach to the field in which the definitions move from "an imagined and idealized space of neutrality" to bringing about social change from within the profession itself (Dudziak, 2005).

Conclusions- In its most basic form, social justice is the fairness and just law or custom exhibited within a given society. It should be applied universally to all members of that society, and is defined by not only a rule of law, but by the people advocating for and practicing a sense of egalitarianism. Social justice means that society understands the value of human rights recognizes the dignity of every human being, and that law is based not on privilege, class, or economic status, but on the ideas of equality. In fact, it is interesting that several international documents hold that social justice must be universal and must educate on the system of global human rights (Barry, 2005). When dealing with a topic like PDA, there may need to be more sensitive and subtle communication styles that are inclusive and bring the community together. This may begin with an educational program for both students and parents, brochures with a number to call that is both private and can offer effective help, and a willingness to help the community understand, without judgment, that PDA is a clear problem within the community and contemporary society.

References

Barry, B. (2005). Why Social Justice Matters. Malden, MA: Polity Press.

Columbus Girls Academy. (2013). Teen Challenge for Girls in Chardon, OH. Retrieved from: http://christianschoolforgirls.com/teen-challenge-for-girls-in-chardon-ohio/

CRC Health Group. (2011). Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction.…