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A Provider's Introduction to Substance Abuse Treatment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Individuals
(Intermediate Level)
Developed by: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
10 Credit CE Course - $47 to complete post-test and receive 10 CE credits. Manual can be downloaded at no charge.
This document seeks to inform administrators and clinicians about appropriate diagnosis and treatment approaches that will help ensure the development or enhancement of effective lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)-sensitive programs. Serving as both a reference tool and program guide, it provides statistical and demographic information, prevalence data, case examples and suggested interventions, treatment guidelines and approaches, and organizational policies and procedures.
This publication was developed through a systematic and innovative process in which clinicians, researchers, program and administrative managers, policymakers, and other Federal, State, and independent experts were brought together for a series of intensive sessions. These individuals reviewed and discussed current administrative and clinical practices for treating substance-abusing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and then wrote and edited the resulting document. The goal of this process was to improve and advance substance abuse treatment for a community of individuals whose health care needs are often ignored, denigrated, or denied. This document seeks to inform administrators and clinicians about appropriate diagnosis and treatment approaches that will help ensure the development or enhancement of effective lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender sensitive-treatment.
Section I provides an introduction for both audiences and includes information on sexual orientation, legal issues, and treatment approaches and modalities from a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender standpoint. Section II is written for the practicing clinician. It offers further information on clinical issues of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clients; an introduction to strategies and methods for improving current services to LGBT individuals; and steps for starting LGBT-sensitive programs. Section III, developed for program administrators, provides an overview of the issues that need to be addressed when developing an LGBT program or when expanding current services for LGBT clients. It offers the data needed to build a strong foundation for a program, including an organizational mission and policies and procedures. It provides resources and strategies for working with managed care organizations and building alliances and cooperative arrangements to coordinate efforts on behalf of LGBT individuals so that members of the LGBT population can promote self-help programs within their own communities.
Download and read this manual at no charge.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
- Learn about appropriate diagnosis and treatment approaches that will help ensure the development or enhancement of effective lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender sensitive programs.
- Understand the background information concerning substance abuse and the LGBT community.
- Prepare yourself to work with clients who are LGBT and understand problems specific to the LGBT community.
- Through examples, learn how to incorporate neutral language on forms and documents.
- Learn basic legal requirements regarding confidentiality.
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