Brief Alcohol Interventions in Social Service and Criminal Justice Settings: A Critical Commentary

Screening and brief interventions (Bl) have been shown to be effective in the management of alcohol consumption for non-treatment-seeking heavy drinkers, who are at physical and social risk, but not yet dependent. The robust evidence base for the effectiveness of Bl in primary health care suggests an implementation in other settings could be beneficial. Given the association between alcohol and social problems, social work has a long history of working with persons with alcohol-use disorders, and social workers are often the first service provider to come into contact with heavy-drinking individuals. This critical commentary summarises the existing literature on Bl effectiveness in social services and criminal justice settings, and discusses to which extent the social work field might be a promising area for Bl delivery.