The purpose of this training is to engage practitioners in understanding the immediate and lasting impact that stigma can have on the potential treatment of and recovery from Substance Misuse and Prevention. By highlighting how we refer to, speak to, and document the experiences of clients we can identify how our actions affect how we connect with and treat them. This training will spotlight the negative impact that our word choices can have on our clients and will highlight our professional and ethical responsibility to be mindful in how we speak to and about clients living with substance use disorders.

Learning Objectives 
•  Recite how our word choice and emphasis can result in stigmatized care for people living with substance use issues

•  Recite ways in which we, as providers, may be causing barriers and social injuries to the vulnerable population of those living with substance use disorder.

•  Summarize alternative ways to compassionately capture clients’ experiences in our documentation, verbal communication and relevant correspondence to reduce the barriers and stigma clients experience in care.