MSW Student Guide
Section 3.02.03: Substance Use Screening Policy
Many field sites require drug screenings as a prerequisite for acceptance in a field placement.
In most cases, it will be clear on the field site's webpage that substance/drug screening (or criminal background checks, or certain immunizations, etc.) are a requirement of the placement. Upon interviewing for placement and conditional acceptance, students may be asked to participate in a substance/drug screening, which if they pass, leads to an official offer of field placement.
Should a student refuse to participate in a substance/drug screening, the field site has the opportunity to decline to host the student for field placement.
If the student fails the substance/drug screen, the student needs to contact their field faculty and the director of field education. The director of field education will consult with the MSW program director and the Office of Student Services and Enrollment Management, and a student success meeting will be scheduled. One potential outcome of the student success meeting is that the student will be referred for a professional-level substance use assessment and recommendations will be provided by the professional assessment. The student success meeting will determine when the student will be referred to another field placement. The length of this process may necessitate adding an additional term.
Should the student fail a second substance/drug screening for field placement, they may be referred to the Academic Concerns Committee, which could result in being disenrolled from the School of Social Work. All students need to be aware that they are required to follow all school and university rules and regulations governing student conduct.
In most cases, it will be clear on the field site's webpage that substance/drug screening (or criminal background checks, or certain immunizations, etc.) are a requirement of the placement. Upon interviewing for placement and conditional acceptance, students may be asked to participate in a substance/drug screening, which if they pass, leads to an official offer of field placement.
Should a student refuse to participate in a substance/drug screening, the field site has the opportunity to decline to host the student for field placement.
If the student fails the substance/drug screen, the student needs to contact their field faculty and the director of field education. The director of field education will consult with the MSW program director and the Office of Student Services and Enrollment Management, and a student success meeting will be scheduled. One potential outcome of the student success meeting is that the student will be referred for a professional-level substance use assessment and recommendations will be provided by the professional assessment. The student success meeting will determine when the student will be referred to another field placement. The length of this process may necessitate adding an additional term.
Should the student fail a second substance/drug screening for field placement, they may be referred to the Academic Concerns Committee, which could result in being disenrolled from the School of Social Work. All students need to be aware that they are required to follow all school and university rules and regulations governing student conduct.