Mental Health AIDS: Summer 2009 Issue

Note: This issue's "tool box": SAVA Latina: Addressing the Interplay of Substance Abuse, Violence, & AIDS Affecting Hispanic Women (Part 2)

Part 1 of this series reviewed the literature linking substance abuse, violence, and AIDS (SAVA), including recent work delineating pathways that tie together violence and HIV risk. The focus then shifted to violence and its effects on immigrant Hispanic women (Latinas) living in the United States, cultural factors that contribute to the risk for both violence and HIV in this population, and screening questions (in Spanish) that have demonstrated utility in identifying women who have been abused.

This concluding segment summarizes the impact of violence on the health (including mental health) of women in general and Latinas in particular, unmet mental health needs in this population, and the evolving state of intervention research.

Resource on Substance Abuse and HIV
Note: The treatment of HIV/AIDS continues to evolve and SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) recently updated and expanded one of its Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs). TIPs are best practice guidelines for the treatment of substance abuse. The new TIP 37, Substance Abuse Treatment for Persons with HIV/AIDS, includes a variety of resources for substance abuse professionals and others who wish to improve their knowledge of HIV care and treatment. It covers a number of topics including: medical assessment/treatment; primary and secondary HIV prevention; integration of needed treatment services; counseling clients with HIV and substance abuse disorders; ethical and legal issues; and funding and policy considerations. All 50 TIPs are available by contacting the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 800/729-6686 or 301/468-2600 and at the link above.

CDC Fact Sheet on Oral Sex and HIV Risk
Note: The CDC has released a new fact sheet on oral sex and HIV risk. According to the CDC, many people believe that oral sex is safe or has no risk of transmitting disease. Even though the risk of transmitting HIV through oral sex is much lower than that of anal or vaginal sex, numerous studies have demonstrated that oral sex can result in the transmission of HIV and other STDs. The fact sheet discusses ways that individuals can reduce their risk of contracting HIV or another STD during oral sex.

NMAETC is holding a series of trainings in the month of July, including:

	BESAFE For African Americans and Latinos: July 10th
	Urban Adolescent Health Summit: July 9th
	Foreign Trained Clinicians Training: July 15th

For the complete list of scheduled trainings and additional information, please visit their website: www.nmaetc.org