Three Approaches to the Casework Treatment of Narcotics Addicts.

The article presents information about three approaches to the casework treatment of narcotics addicts. This discussion of casework approaches to the treatment of narcotics addiction is not meant to be all-inclusive, but rather to describe the three treatment modalities with which the writer has had direct experience. In the current stage of our knowledge about addiction, there can be no single approach to "the addict," since there are different kinds of addicts for whom different approaches are indicated, which will also vary with the agency setting and goals. It is only through research and evaluation that it may be possible to accumulate the necessary scientific information and eventually develop a typology of addicts and suitable treatments for each category. This paper will highlight only the focal points of research on addiction that have served as a framework and potentiator for the offering of the traditional treatment services. Before the casework approaches used in these various modalities are described, some of the assumptions and concepts on which the writer's work has been based will be out-lined. Over the last decade, many treatment and rehabilitation methods have been utilized in the area of narcotics addiction. Treatment modalities have included hospitalization with detoxification, at times augmented by aftercare services, work by voluntary and religious groups, specialized rehabilitation centers, parole and probationary controls.