Practice Issues in HIV/AIDS Services: Empowerment-Based Models and Program Applications » (1st Edition)

Improve quality of life for patients with HIV/AIDS!

Practice Issues in HIV/AIDS Services: Empowerment-Based Models and Program Applications provides a sound framework of intervention practices for case managers and care coordinators to help HIV/AIDS patients live longer and healthier lives. This book focuses on client-based care that addresses the social and psychological needs of the patient as well as his or her physical and medical requirements. Filled with concrete information and recommendations from practitioners and researchers, this instructive text will help increase the effectiveness of your role in the client’s treatment.

Practice Issues in HIV/AIDS Services leads the reader from a conceptual framework of approaches related to the ongoing HIV/AIDS crises to specific case studies focused mainly on interventions. Practice models of case management are discussed and applied to clients with special needs, including injection drug users, Mexican migrant farm workers, and African-American underserved populations. Examples of the practice models discussed in this book include:

• the Generalist social work practice model—emphasizing problem-solving at various system levels through the process of relationship building, data gathering, assessing, intervening, evaluating interventions, and terminating services
• the Broker model—focusing on activities which will increase the client’s linkage to services, then terminating the client-case manager relationship
• the Therapeutic or Clinical model—establishing a relationship with the case manager as a treatment provider with rapport and trust as a therapeutic intervention
• the Therapeutic Team Approach or Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)—utilizing multidisciplinary teams to provide a range of specialty services to clients with the intent to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and improve independent functioning in the community.

Well referenced, with dependable methodologies and sound conclusions, Practice Issues in HIV/AIDS Services is an essential text for case managers, health professionals, and educators and students of social work. Its emphasis on special populations, with new approaches to case management and techniques to strengthen present ones, makes this book an important addition to anyone’s reference collection.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Mark D. Goodman, MD(Creighton University Medical Center)
Description:The book consists of eight chapters examining different communities of risk in the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Particular emphasis is on social workers and their interventions in the community.
Purpose:The book's purpose is never stated but I believe the book serves an important purpose in examining the work of social workers in new infection prevention and service provision for those living with HIV/AIDS.
Audience:The book is written for social services personnel, specifically social workers, in my judgment. The authors are authorities in the field.
Features:The book examines social work theory, and visits different communities affected by HIV. I especially enjoyed reading about the rural Delta region of our American South, and the challenges and opportunities presented by that unique place in the world. African-American, intravenous drug-using and gay populations are examined and described with particular emphasis on women of color, who are feared to be the next wave of individuals affected by HIV. The major shortcoming of the book is its narrow targeted audience. Social workers familiar with the jargon employed in the book are going to be the only ones comfortable here.
Assessment:The book, while superb for social workers, lacks sufficient background information for the rest of us. Where is a "generalist approach" defined for the rest of us? The opening chapter, reviewing statistics about the HIV/AIDS epidemic, was too dry for my taste. In summary, the book presents a laudable effort "for those in the know," with some well-written chapters on affected communities in our nation, but needing definitions and background for the non-social-worker members of the care team.