Prevention and Treatment of HIV Among People Living with Substance Use and/or Mental Disorders

Course overview

Course Description: This course is based on material published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and is available as an open-access article. First detected in 1981, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that infects a type of white blood cells called CD4+ T-cells and puts people at increased risk for other infections. If left untreated, HIV can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which was once a fatal infection. While there is no cure for HIV, it can be effectively managed as a chronic illness with antiretroviral therapy (ART), and prevented through harm reduction strategies (e.g., condoms and syringe services programs) and medical interventions (e.g., pre-exposure prophylaxis [PrEP] and post-exposure prophylaxis [PEP]). Substantial progress has been made in preventing HIV and supporting people with HIV, however, there is still room for improvement in addressing linkage to treatment, ART initiation and adherence, and viral suppression, as well as engagement and retention along the HIV care continuum. Challenges with client engagement across the HIV care continuum hinder the effectiveness of prevention and treatment efforts. These challenges increase the likelihood of HIV transmission and negative health outcomes for people with HIV. Established in 2019, the federal initiative Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America (EHE) 4 capitalizes on scientific discoveries and increased public awareness to prevent and treat HIV. As of 2020, there are 1 million people with HIV in the United States, and an estimated 38,000 new infections occur each year. The goal of the EHE initiative is to reduce new infections by 75 percent by 2025 and by 90 percent by 2030.The success of the EHE initiative relies on identifying pathways to increase access to HIV prevention and treatment for those with complex needs. This course on preventing and treating HIV co-occurring with mental disorders or substance use is designed for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, nurses, and substance abuse counselors who do clinical work. In addition, this course is appropriate for intermediate and advanced-level practitioners who wish to develop their knowledge of on preventing and treating HIV co-occurring with mental disorders or substance use. The course material includes a literature review of interventions. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require continuing clinical education courses for license renewal. Authors: SAMHSA Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding on preventing and treating HIV co-occurring with mental disorders or substance use. Specifically, a professional will: Describe current evidence on the effectiveness of programs and strategies to prevent HIV among people with co-occurring mental illness and/or substance use disorder. Recognize guidance for selecting and implementing evidence-based practices in the treatment of HIV and co-occurring mental illness and/or substance use disorder. Identify examples of effective programs and strategies to prevent HIV and link people with HIV to care. Recognize types of evaluations and their use in developing effective practices. Citation: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). Prevention and Treatment of HIV Among People Living with Substance Use and/or Mental Disorders. Evidence-Based Resource Guide Series. https://store.samhsa.gov/product/Prevention-and-Treatment-of-HIV-Among-People-Living-with-Substance-Use-and-or-Mental-Disorders/PEP20-06-03-001