TIP 37:  Substance Abuse Treatment for Persons with HIV/AIDS: Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 37

Disclaimer

This publication is part of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant technical assistance program. All material appearing in this volume except that taken directly from copyrighted sources is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) or the authors. Citation of the source is appreciated.

This publication was written under contract number 270-95-0013 with The CDM Group, Inc. (CDM). Sandra Clunies, M.S., I.C.A.D.C., served as the CSAT government project officer. Warren W. Hewitt, Jr., M.S., served as CSAT content advisor. Rose M. Urban, L.C.S.W., J.D., C.C.A.S., served as the CDM TIPs project director. Other CDM TIPs personnel included Raquel Ingraham, M.S., project manager; Jonathan Max Gilbert, M.A., managing editor; Susan Kimner, editor/writer; Cara Smith, production editor; Erica Flick, editorial assistant; and Y-Lang Nguyen, former production editor.

The opinions expressed herein are the views of the Consensus Panel members and do not reflect the official position of CSAT, SAMHSA, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). No official support or endorsement of CSAT, SAMHSA, or DHHS for these opinions or for particular instruments or software that may be described in this document is intended or should be inferred. The guidelines proffered in this document should not be considered as substitutes for individualized client care and treatment decisions.

What Is a TIP?

Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs) are best practice guidelines for the treatment of substance abuse, provided as a service of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). CSAT's Office of Evaluation, Scientific Analysis and Synthesis draws on the experience and knowledge of clinical, research, and administrative experts to produce the TIPs, which are distributed to a growing number of facilities and individuals across the country. The audience for the TIPs is expanding beyond public and private substance abuse treatment facilities as alcoholism and other substance abuse disorders are increasingly recognized as major problems.

The TIPs Editorial Advisory Board, a distinguished group of substance abuse experts and professionals in such related fields as primary care, mental health, and social services, works with the State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors to generate topics for the TIPs based on the field's current needs for information and guidance.

After selecting a topic, CSAT invites staff from pertinent Federal agencies and national organizations to a Resource Panel that recommends specific areas of focus as well as resources that should be considered in developing the content of the TIP. Then recommendations are communicated to a Consensus Panel composed of non-Federal experts on the topic who have been nominated by their peers. This Panel participates in a series of discussions; the information and recommendations on which they reach consensus form the foundation of the TIP. The members of each Consensus Panel represent substance abuse treatment programs, hospitals, community health centers, counseling programs, criminal justice and child welfare agencies, and private practitioners. A Panel Chair (or Co-Chairs) ensures that the guidelines mirror the results of the group's collaboration.

A large and diverse group of experts closely reviews the draft document. Once the changes recommended by these field reviewers have been incorporated, the TIP is prepared for publication, in print and online. The TIPs can be accessed via the Internet on the National Library of Medicine's home page at the URL: http:// text.nlm.nih.gov. The move to electronic media also means that the TIPs can be updated more easily so they continue to provide the field with state-of-the-art information.

Although each TIP strives to include an evidence base for the practices it recommends, CSAT recognizes that the field of substance abuse treatment is evolving and that research frequently lags behind the innovations pioneered in the field. A major goal of each TIP is to convey "front line" information quickly but responsibly. For this reason, recommendations proffered in the TIP are attributed to either Panelists' clinical experience or the literature. If there is research to support a particular approach, citations are provided.

This TIP, Substance Abuse Treatment for Persons With HIV/AIDS, is a revision of TIP 15, Treatment for HIV-Infected Alcohol and Other Drug Abusers (CSAT, 1995b). It is intended to help a wide range of providers become familiar with the various issues surrounding clients with both substance abuse and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and to foster a better understanding of the roles of other providers.

Chapter 1 provides a basic overview of HIV/AIDS, including the latest available epidemiological data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chapter 2 discusses medical assessment and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Chapter 3 discusses the treatment of mental health disorders in substance abusers with HIV/AIDS. Chapter 4 explains HIV/AIDS prevention, and Chapter 5 provides information about how to integrate treatment services via collaboration, so that all the needs of HIV-infected clients with substance abuse disorders can be met. Chapter 6 discusses case management and how to access the services that clients need. Chapter 7 provides information about counseling clients with HIV/AIDS and substance abuse disorders, including information on staff issues, screening, and cultural competency. Chapter 8 discusses ethical issues, and Chapter 9 presents legal issues, including confidentiality and clients' access to services and programs. Chapter 10 provides information about funding sources for programs treating clients with HIV/AIDS and substance abuse treatment. The appendixes in this TIP provide additional information on several topics and include the 1993 Revised Classification System for HIV and AIDS, Federal and State codes of ethics, AIDS-related Web sites, and a list of State and Territorial health agencies and AIDS hotlines.

This TIP represents another step by CSAT toward its goal of bringing national leaders together to improve substance abuse treatment in the United States.

Other TIPs may be ordered by contacting SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI), (800) 729-6686 or (301) 468-2600; TDD (for hearing impaired), (800) 487-4889.