Erhebung von Ansätzen guter Praxis zur Integration Suchtkranker ins Erwerbsleben im Rahmen des SGB II: Abschlussbericht

Abstract

Commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Health a study was carried out to get a comprehensive overview of existing provisions of job centres for addicted welfare recipients capable of working. Special focus of the study was advice and job placement with a focus on best-practice. The latest “Hartz IV” reform in labour market policy gave job centers new options for the support of unemployed with addictions and led to new cooperation needs between addiction counselling services and job centers. Within the new Social Law SGB II job centers have the opportunity to impose financial sanctions for long term unemployed with addictions who are not willing to see addiction counselling services. Two online-surveys were conducted in which 323 of existing 439 job centers took part and 80 of 135 addiction counselling services, who were named by the participating job centers as cooperating partners. Results show a large heterogeneity in the level of implementation as regards the organisational setting (number of unemployed per placement officer, level of addiction specific qualification, specific concepts for working with addicted unemployed) and the practice with addicted unemployed. This involves the recognition of addictions, the cooperation with addiction counselling services and drug rehabilitation, the imposition of sanctions and specific job placement programmes. Job integration of long term social security recipients with addictions is for the most part not successful. Progress can be made by an intensified cooperation with the addiction counselling and support system, a better placement officer/unemployed relation, addiction specific qualifications for placement officers, consideration of addiction specific needs in job placement programmes and – as practice is in many cases not in accordance with the law - information on data protection and professional secrecy.