Coping with AIDS. An approach to training and education in a therapeutic community--the Samaritan Village Program

The emerging demographics of AIDS related disease and disorders suggests a redistribution toward the population of intravenous drug users (IVDU) and the sexual partners of IVDU's. Risk reduction strategies employing education and disease prevention appear to have had significant success within the gay community as borne out by changing epidemiologic data. This paper focuses upon one such approach that has been used in a residential therapeutic environment. It offers a practical working model that might be applicable in a variety of settings. It should be emphasized that this is not a one-step presentation of AIDS information, but rather that it is an ongoing program of AIDS education.