By mid-2000, more that 750,000 people with AIDS had been reported in the United States, with 438,000 individuals having died because of HIV disease. It is estimated that an additional 40,000 people in the United States are infected each year.
With these alarming rates, it is inevitable that medical and mental health clinicians must be prepared for the challenges of HIV care. The treatment of neuropsychiatric and psychiatric problems will become increasingly common as more people live longer with HIV disease and with the unique problems the virus creates due to its ability to enter the brain and replicate relatively untouched by current medications. With the body of HIV knowledge developing at a rapid rate, keeping up with the latest treatment trends is crucial to providing HIV-infected individuals with proper care and overcoming newly arising challenges and treatment questions.
In response to these challenges, a comprehensive one-day training course titled “Treatment and Care in the Third Decade of AIDS” will be presented, free of charge, by the APA AIDS Education Project, funded by the Center for Mental Health Services of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In collaboration with Columbia University, the Florida AIDS Education and Training Centers, and the Puerto Rico/Florida Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN 8), this training will be held on Friday, October 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registration will be held 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. in the Wedgwood Ballroom, first floor, at the Renaissance Orlando Resort.
The morning presentations will address current and emerging HIV treatment strategies, including profiles of the most recent drugs and drug-drug interactions; recognizing and treating the neuropsychiatric complications of HIV disease; and managing patients who have triple diagnoses of HIV, mental illness, and substance abuse.
The lunchtime segment will provide a hands-on workshop for clinicians to assist individuals with mental illness to reduce the risk of becoming infected with HIV. A complimentary lunch will be provided.
In the afternoon, a planned panel of HIV-positive individuals will share their personal experiences of HIV disease and mental illness, giving practitioners a glimpse into the challenges and successes that people with HIV and mental illness face. Following this presentation, substance-use issues will be explored in depth, with a focus on outlining the special complications and treatment strategies that are necessary when working with substance-using patients. The afternoon will end with a discussion of the somatic symptoms that can dramatically and adversely affect the quality of life for those living with HIV disease, followed by a question-and-answer period.
Reservations are required since seating is limited. Additional information is available from the APA AIDS Program Office at (202) 682-6147 or [email protected]. Participants attending this training should check in before the program starts. ▪
