Alcohol abuse and dependence constitutes a major public health concern.  Alcoholism is responsible for more than 15% of the national health care budget in the United States, with approximately 40% of all hospital admissions being alcohol-related. Roughly 100,000 people in the U.S. die each year from alcohol-related causes.  Additionally, alcohol use is a factor in a large proportion of physical and sexual assaults, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, as well as developmental disorders, birth defects and sudden infant death syndrome among children of alcohol-abusing mothers.

There is compelling data indicating that accessible alcoholism treatment benefits the individual and society as a whole. This course will enable mental health providers and allied health professionals to gain an understanding of the causes of alcoholism. Further, an evidence-based perspective of the effectiveness of current interventions for alcoholism will be presented. Specifically, psychosocial therapies, self-help organizations, pharmacologic approaches, and alternative/complementary therapies that are currently used with alcohol dependence will be reviewed with a focus on adults diagnosed with alcohol dependence. Empirical data on the  use of these therapies in tandem will also be addressed.

• Indentify the current data on the etiology of alcoholism
• Discuss the array of treatments currently offered for alcoholism from an evidence-based perspective
• Recognize the important role mental health and allied health professionals can play in the treatment of alcoholism and in the recovery of alcoholics