A family with a teenage girl brings their daughter in for counseling due to substance abuse. The daughter is defiant and says it is her parents who need help and she refuses any intervention. She admits to abusing substances but says it does not affect her behior. What should the social worker do first?

A. Assess and refer the daughter for substance abuse counseling
B. Explain to the parents that her attitude is typical for her age
C. Explain how she feels about the parents
D. Provide clarification of the situation for the parents and the teenager.


A. Assess and refer the daughter for substance abuse counseling

If the teenager has a substance abuse problem and is refusing intervention, from the choices given A is the best answer.
D is a possibility but A is the better choice as addressing the active substance use is the first priority.

Social Work & Human Services

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