Dennis Moore
Published: 1998
Total Pages: 186
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sign language interpreters, suspending "no-medication" rules, and often, overcoming people's fears and ignorance. This TIP presents simple and straightforward guidelines on how to overcome barriers and provide effective treatment to people with coexisting disabilities. The topic of substance use disorder treatment for people with coexisting disabilities is a broad one. In creating this Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP), the Consensus Panel focused its attention on the needs of adults in treatment who had a coexisting physical or cognitive disability (including those disabilities also classified as "sensory" in nature). While people who have an affective disability (i.e., mental illness) are mentioned in the TIP, the reader is referred to TIP 9, Assessment and Treatment of Patients With Coexisting Mental Illness and Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (CSAT, 1994), for more detailed information concerning the assessment and treatment of these clients. In order to avoid awkward construction and sexism, this TIP alternates between "he" and "she" for generic examples. Since substance use disorders are considered a disability under the ADA, when people in substance use disorder treatment are referred to in the TIP as having disabilities it is understood that they have "coexisting" disabilities. The Consensus Panel for this TIP drew upon its considerable experience in both the disability services and substance use disorder treatment fields. Panel members included providers as well as consumers of these services. Because of a lack of substantial research on the particular needs of people with coexisting disabilities in treatment for substance use disorders, the Panel often relied on clinical experience to develop the recommendations provided here. In the summary of recommendations listed below, recommendations that are supported by research literature or legislation