Substance Abuse Treatment and Domestic Violence. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 25.

The major goal of this TIP, on the best practice guidelines to improve the treatment of substance abuse, is to provide clinicians, educators, and paraprofessionals with the latest findings concerning domestic violence. The information is intended to educate providers about the needs and behaviors of batterers and survivors, and how to tailor treatment plans accordingly. The focus is on men who abuse their female partners and women who are battered by their male partners. It reports that up to one half of the men who commit acts of domestic violence also have substance abuse problems. Failure to address domestic violence issues among substance abusers can interfere with treatment effectiveness and contribute to relapse. Chapters include information on the survivors of domestic violence, screening and referral of survivors and batterers for additional services, legal issues, coordinated community linkages, and a summary of recommendations. It states that teaching decision-making skills to both the men and women involved in domestic violence is a key aspect of treatment. Appendixes include: "Bibliography,""Federal Confidentiality Regulations,""Instruments,""Sample Personalized Safety Plan for Domestic Violence Survivors,""Hotlines and Other Resources for Domestic Violence and Related Issues,""Resource Panel," and "Field Reviewers." (Contains approximately 200 resources.) (JDM)