PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE IN HUMAN SERVICES 1

Past, Present and Future in Human Services

Jeffrey Reed

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE IN HUMAN SERVICES 2

Past, Present and Future in Human Services

Past

My journey into the Human Services field began because I knew that I needed to have an

education to continue in my own journey of recovery. I have a very close friend who went

through this program and successfully graduated (and overcame some tough obstacles while

doing so). It was at her graduation ceremony that I knew that this was something I wanted to do.

At first I was nervous because I’ve been challenged with addiction issues in the past and

developed a criminal record because of the consequences of my use so I didn’t even think that

the college would accept me (I believe the college tried to make that aspect more stringent as of

late).

When I applied to HACC I was coming off the tail end of a drug treatment court

sentence, attending outpatient counseling sessions and working a full time job (please note there

were many speed bumps before this journey began that I won’t explore in this paper, I will say it

did not come easy). Everyone from those areas of my life told me I could do it and all I needed

to do was try. I was adamant that I would give it my best shot. My target population is drug and

alcohol, the “red headed stepchild” of Human Services per say. At this point I was very involved

in my recovery community and saw the lack of support for some individuals in recovery, and the

immense amount of stigma and discrimination that occurred on a regular basis against people

who struggle with substance use disorders.

Addiction is an equal opportunity disease. The general population hasn’t changed per

say, maybe it’s better to say they’ve been overlooked. For instance, more elderly folks are being

treated for abusing their prescription medications. Some of the elderly populations are being

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE IN HUMAN SERVICES 3

arrested for driving under the influence of their medicine, and for years never really thought

twice about it. In today’s society, the adolescent population is experimenting with drugs,

especially synthetics ones. I can’t say 100%, but in most cases whether it is criminal or new

admissions into services, addiction is very prevalent in their presenting problems.

Present

So far I have really enjoyed being in this particular program at HACC. Honestly, I was a

bit unsure how this particular class would go. As it turns out I’ve gained lots of knowledge

about the different areas of high risk populations. My challenge is to remain open that one issue

like a drug and alcohol problem can also span across many other realms of the Human Service

field like individuals who are suffering from co-occurring disorders. Clients can be affected by

many different problems at one time and it’s important for me to recognize what those areas are.

I’m a strong advocate for individuals who might have lost their voice to stand up for

themselves. Learning how to advocate for clients in diplomatic way can be very hard to do at

times. Understanding we represent the people we serve is so vital to how the general public

perceives our clients. I realized that various aspects of my life will need to change because of

the profession I decided to pursue. At times I feel like this field can sometimes be a lonely one

because of all the laws and statures that are in place especially if you live in small town like I do.

On the other hand, these laws are in place to protect the clients that I have a passion to serve.

Ultimately, I need to take a closer look at myself as I move further in this field.

Skills and Methods II gave me a clear understanding of various ways to address certain

populations. Moreover, I really enjoyed the teaching style used in this class. I will channel some

of these very open, compassionate approaches to aid me in developing relationships with people

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and show a genuine sense of warmth and understanding. Most people can point out when

someone is just being a fake and robotic in their presenting style.

Future

As I continue into my practicum I hope to get more experience with the hands on aspects

of using client intake surveys and experiencing how counseling sessions work since I am now on

the other side of the spectrum. I must develop a very clear understanding of ethics, boundaries

and confidentiality as I continue to serve clients. Since drug and alcohol laws are considerably

the most stringent of the Human Service law my plan is to be prepared for upcoming instances

where I will face those “gray areas” that can be a bit hard to decipher which way to go. On the

bright side I know that I have a vast amount of supports that I can utilize for supervision when

these areas surface.

Continuing to remember why I chose this work is extremely important to me. Once in a

while I will take a step back and make sure my motives are where they should be. I must focus

on the fact that I’m here to serve individuals that need support. When I apply these reasons I’ll

need to keep my personal morals and values out of it. Because frankly, what’s been working for

me might not be the pathway my client will feel comfortable with taking. For me, remembering

to meet the client where they’re at, and remaining open minded are some things I hope to see

more of as I endeavor forward in this field. Finally, I haven’t really had much thought about

what type of individuals I might not feel comfortable working with in this field. With that being

said, I hope to get a chance to be exposed to different populations which will give me a better

understanding of my boundaries.