Mount Saint Mary College’s Center for Adolescent Research and Development (CARD) recently presented “Substance Abuse: What Works, What Doesn’t” by social worker Justin Sangeorge, LMSW.
The Mount’s CARD is a clearinghouse for research initiatives. These include the psychological, social, cultural, educational, and health-related issues endemic to contemporary adolescents and young adults.
Sangeorge focused on the varying stigmas that come with substance abuse, delving into the evolution of substance abuse treatment.
“Treatment in general has changed a lot, and what works and what doesn’t has changed dramatically,” Sangeorge explained. “It’s like anything else that evolves. Now, we’ve moved towards person-centered treatment, and recognizing [substance abuse] as a disease has opened up more access to treatment.”
Sangeorge, a 2004 graduate of the Mount, currently serves as the clinical director of a behavioral health outpatient clinic. In 2011, he received a master’s degree in social work from Stony Brook University’s School of Social Welfare.
Since becoming a social worker, Sangeorge has worked with people who experienced challenges with substance use, mental health, homelessness, incarceration, trauma, and abuse.
“My work has extended into the community, where I have had the opportunity to work with elected officials, state and city organizations, and community-based organizations, which all work together to assist the communities we serve,” he said. “This work is extremely important, and is my purpose that I have identified for my life and career.”