Brian Benford has been involved in social justice efforts and activism since he was a child. Brian’s passion for helping marginalized populations has led him to fill many roles in social work, local politics, and now as a Success Coach for the UW Odyssey Project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Brian recently completed the 100 percent online UW-Madison Substance Use Disorders Certificate (SUDS) offered through UW Flexible Option and shared his experience and thoughts on what he hopes to achieve as a result of the program.
Can you tell me about yourself and your background?
I’m the proud father of five amazing children, four adult kids, two that graduated from UW-Madison, one from Stanford Law School. But right behind that, for over 35 years, I’ve worked on the front lines supporting children, their parents, families, individuals, and communities to reach their full potential.
I’m a former alderperson for the City of Madison. I’m an advocate and activist and an educator. I’m 65 years old. I was able to go to the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work (at UW-Madison) and get my master’s degree at 60 years old.
I’m a lifelong learner. And part of that is because of the Odyssey Project, which is going into its 22nd year. It’s an amazing program. I’m an alumnus. Because of Odyssey, I was able to go on and get my bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work, and I’m currently on staff.
Why did you enroll in SUDS?
Over the last 35 years, I have witnessed literally thousands of people who have suffered because of unresolved substance use disorders. I recognize that I need to develop the tools and skills that will help me serve those people. And I feel like this course was amazing in doing that.
My goal is to continue my education to become a licensed substance abuse counselor along with the work I do as a social worker. I would be able to provide help and service to those who are underserved, especially those within the Odyssey Project, the vast majority being historically marginalized individuals.
What did you like about the program?
The very first module of the course was so profound. The first video that [Patricia Gutierrez, course instructor] gave us really focused on the message of love. When people are battling substance use disorder, what hit me is if someone had diabetes, would you stop loving them? No matter what I learned, no matter what theoretical underpinnings or anything, research-based information, it really came down to love and empathy. So that gave me a lot of inspiration and hope as I was plowing through the course…to be reminded that everyone deserves that respect and love.
I’m a baby boomer, and I’ve learned to embrace technology the best that I can. But just the way the course was laid out was commendable. I’ve helped design curriculums in the past. I just thought it was fascinating. The mixed media that was involved in the course was good. The grading was good. The comments were insightful. I just really enjoyed the whole thing and think anyone would benefit from it.
Is there anything in the program that surprised you?
As I looked at the history of some of the research around substance use disorders and addictions, it’s fascinating that there’s so much we know, but so much we don’t know. My sister worked as an alcohol and drug counselor for 50 years. And here locally, she created Ujima and other recovery places. And throughout the course, it was amazing because I could talk to her and share reflections. And I said, is there a treatment modality that is just 100 percent? And she’s like, there isn’t any. That isn’t the case.
What’s surprising is just the prevalence of substance use disorders and the different treatment modalities. While there might be some that are successful for some people, that there just isn’t like something definitive that can help, regardless of the substance that you’re abusing.
Is becoming a licensed SUDS counselor something you always wanted to do? Or is it something as the result of earning the certificate?
Well, it’s the result of recognizing my limitations in the work that I can do. I take a great deal of pride in my work as a social worker. But in doing so, if I’m really focused on cultural humility and recognizing and reflecting on my own abilities, I didn’t have the skill set to provide such a critically needed service, such as substance use counseling. I’m a former policymaker, elected official, and I think just from my real life experiences, I recognize that there’s a tremendous amount of people, regardless of their backgrounds, that are not being served around SUDS issues.
I think it was my life experience that led me to this. As I mentioned, my sister has an amazing history of serving people. I’m 65, so I don’t think of this as a career. I think of this as a service. It’s not about making more money.
But I feel like if I do my due diligence and continue to learn, then someday, whether I give away my services for free or not, that’s the goal. That’s the endgame. This course certainly inspired me and the fact that it taught me this notion of love, empathy, respect, and valuing individuals.
Right now, there’s a huge shortage of SUDS counselors. Is there anything you would say to those considering this type of work to encourage them?
Most families that I know, if not all families, have a member who has been impacted by SUDS. And we’ve loved that person. All of us have that person. And maybe because of their SUDS challenges, we stop loving them. We stop inviting them to family functions. We wonder what happened to them.
Taking this course, I believe, will help raise the level of awareness of what this person might be going through. How would we react to that person if they had cancer? I’m a cancer survivor. What would have happened if everyone just walked away? People can learn valuable tools and skills and globally raise the level of awareness of how important this work is.
When we talk about intersectionality, everybody is going to have different reasons for helping. For me, I look at it as a form of redemption, and a form of a service, especially in the world we live in now. Just last week, someone I was acquainted with overdosed from fentanyl and died.
We’re all impacted by this. As we look at crafting a new world where everyone has a right to reach their full potential, this is a great way to do that. And I believe that more people who can take courses like this can offer other alternatives, and can offer hope and healing for those folks. I would encourage everyone to do it, if nothing else, for that reason, if you’re concerned about any loved one or anybody impacted.
Anybody in the helping profession could greatly benefit from this, whether you’re a social worker, counselor, a nurse, or in any of the medical helping professions. I’m a former policy maker. I wish that more policy makers could understand this and that they could take the course.
Is there anything else that you’d like to share, maybe thinking back to what inspired you to do social work in the first place?
I was born at the peak of the civil rights movement and was involved at a young age. The notion of social justice was instilled at me really at a very early age. I went to Saint Boniface in Milwaukee with Father Groppi as my priest. We were marching at a very young age for better housing, better sustainable jobs, better educational opportunities, free from abuse from the criminal justice system and police. Guess what? We’re still doing that.
All these years later, nothing’s really changed. And in fact, some things have gotten much worse. I do believe that in social work, I have an opportunity to treat people like I would like to be treated, which is weaved into every major religious philosophy.
When I’m helping individuals, families and communities to reach their full potential, I’m reaching my own. And in service to others, I think that’s the best path for me to do that. Social work, I often joke, is so general. It’s everything from birth to death, from the individual to policy to the macro level.
And as a former politician and policy maker, social work is the opposite end of the spectrum. The ethics and morality of politics is dismal. Where my code of ethics and what’s required of my service as a social worker is fulfilling. It helps me reach my full potential. No offense to people in business or anything like that. I really enjoy helping others.
What are your next steps?
It was great that the course was clear about next steps [to become a licensed SUDS counselor]. The minute I finished the course, I wrote the state exam. Now I’m just trying to find a volunteer opportunity where I can start collecting hours to someday get my license.
It’s going to be hard for me [to find volunteer hours] because I have a full-time job that I love. But what I must do is somehow build a partnership with a community-based organization or a clinician who is already doing the work and have them come to the Odyssey Project. Traditionally, the campus is not prepared to serve the folks that we serve at Odyssey. Our students tend to be single Black mothers with kids or BIPOC people at the poverty line who have never thought they’d have an opportunity to go to school. If that doesn’t work, I am looking for some type of community-based organization. I can’t personally go and give 20 hours somewhere [because I am already working full-time].
I learned so much from the course. Now, whether I go on to get licensed or not, I think, ‘How can I help others raise their level of awareness?’ I am so appreciative of this opportunity. There’s so much more to learn. It’s a lifelong endeavor, I’ve discovered.
Are you passionate about helping others? Do you have a family member struggling with substance use disorders? Or, do you work in a role helping individuals dealing with similar diseases? Even if you are not in a position to become a licensed counselor, consider completing the SUDS certificate program to broaden your knowledge base and learn practical skills to support others. Contact an Enrollment Adviser today at 608-800-6762.
Note: UW-Madison students and alumni are eligible for a 10 percent discount in the course.