Drug Issues

Subject 571-831 (2009)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2009. Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

Distance
For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: A total of 120 hours: includes participation in on-campus sessions, reading course materials, independant study and completion of all learning activities and assessment.
Total Time Commitment: Not available
Prerequisites: Nil
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability
Subject Overview: This subject enables students to build a framework for analysing and responding to the complex issues pertaining to young people and drug use. This involves the examination of prevalence rates and current trends in drug use among adolescents in the contemporary Australian context and an analysis of the dominant perspectives that influence policy makers, treatment providers, media outlets, families and young people themselves. Students will draw on a diversity of theoretical frameworks and current research to tease out the key determinants of adolescent drug use and develop the skills to define and identify hazardous or problematic drug use. Finally, students will explore a range of effective responses in the fields of prevention, health promotion and treatment that can be utilised to assist young people to avoid harm and initiate and maintain change (eg. harm minimisation, net harm analysis, stages of change and relapse prevention models and motivational interviewing).

Assessment: 40%: Minor assignment (1,500 words max) - Due end of Week 7; 60%: Major Assignment (Max: 2,500 words) - Due end of semester.
Prescribed Texts: None
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills: This subject is designed to enable students to:
  • identify and critically reflect on the factors which impact on or influence drug and alcohol use;
  • articulate and critically examine their own understanding of their professional practice in working with young people with drug and/or alcohol issues;
  • evaluate and apply different theoretical frameworks, research perspectives and professional practice strategies to inform decision making in working with young people with drug and alcohol issues;
  • evaluate and apply different intervention approaches including health promotion, prevention, early intervention and treatment regarded as effective in working with young people;
  • analyse and apply harm minimisation frameworks.

On completion of this subject it is expected that students will be able to:

  • work in a respectful way with young people that are using drugs and/or alcohol;
  • locate, critically evaluate and use contemporary research literature and professional information to develop their own practice;
  • communicate effectively with young people, families, agencies and other professionals across a range of contexts about drug and alcohol issues;
  • apply a range of skills suitable for use by non-specialist drug workers to intervene with young people with problematic patterns of drug use.

Related Course(s): Master of Adolescent Health && Welfare

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