A woman comes to your agency on a referral by the courts after she was arrested for selling various prescription medications on the street. She tells you she currently has some amphetamines, Xanax, and a popular addictive pain medication in her bag. The court is ordering her to show within the next week that she has enrolled in a program that will get her help with her own addiction to some of the medications she sells. “I have regular customers,” she tells you. “And they are going to crap when I stop coming around.” Asked where she gets her medications, she smiles mysteriously and says, “The police are looking into that—you don’t need to.” She denies she is addicted to anything, but court records, including an evaluation by a psychologist, which she has brought with her, indicate that she is addicted to several different medications.

In each of the above situations, develop a tentative plan for the client. List the various services you believe each person needs initially. Include in your plan for each client both formal and generic services, and where appropriate, use social supports and support groups. Suggest other services the person might use later once the case is stabilized. Think about how you can involve others close to the person and how you will involve the client in planning.