Counseling patients in chemical dependence treatment programs about AIDS

As AIDS becomes more and more a part of everyone's life, it is imperative for CDTPs to provide a basic course of information about AIDS for all patients; and in order to adequately counsel and to provide this information, CDTP staff need to explore their own attitudes and responses to the disease. In addition, CDTPs must incorporate AIDS prevention and safer sex lectures as a regular part of their programs. Staff must be trained to provide nonjudgmental, appropriate counseling on sexuality and AIDS anxiety. Staff must also fully understand the uses and abuses of the HIV antibody test so that no patient is inappropriately screened without his/her knowledge or consent, or refused entry into treatment because s/he may be a member of a high-risk group, or screened without appropriate counseling and referrals. For those patients who are tested, sensitive and rational staff responses must be provided to prevent jeopardizing sobriety.