The clinical social worker and current psychiatric drugs: Some introductory principles

This paper persents some common social work clinical and case management issues with respect to psychiatric drug treatment. The roles of the psychiatrist and the social worker are distinguished. Three types of negative treatment drug effect are described-physical, psychological, and social-with case examples. Techniques to prevent or reduce negative drug effects are presented. The paper emphasizes the need for greater social work professional attention being paid to drug therapy.