A man comes in to see a social worker and tells her that, after years of substance use, “he has had enough” and gave up using heroin two days ago. He appears anxious and agitated and reports vomiting, as well as being unable to sleep. In order to meet his immediate treatment needs, the social worker should _________.

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, health and safety are basic needs that have to be addressed initially. Abstinence from substances, such as heroin, can cause nausea, vomiting, diathermia, agitation, sleeplessness, and/or depression. These symptoms have to be treated first before attempting relapse prevention or identifying a treatment plan. Completing an assessment is useful, but is not as directly tied to “meeting his immediate treatment needs” as the question directs. Ensuring that detoxification occurs safely is critical, especially after long-term use such as that described.