Lgbt Substance Abuse Treatment Best Practices - 2822 Words

LGBT Substance Abuse Treatment Best Practices: An Annotated Bibliography Introduction Practice with special populations led to an inquiry regarding LGBT substance abuse and best practices. What was interesting in looking through the existing research is that there is really not a huge breadth of information out there regarding the LGBT population in relation to substance abuse and best practices. The importance of this subject was made apparent by the lack of concrete evidence for particular models of treatment when working with the LGBT community as a whole. Due to the lack of LGBT specific treatment evidence based outcomes, the search focused on comparisons of outcomes between LGBT and heterosexual participants in treatment programs, gay†¦show more content†¦A search of the Campbell Collaboration and Cochrane Collaboration (systematic reviews) yield no information on the topic of the LGBT community and substance abuse/use or chemical dependency. Because the LGBT community is often subject to discrimination within the healthcare system as a whole, it is crit ical for providers of substance abuse treatment programs to be aware and able to assist those who exist outside the heterosexual norm. LGBT individuals are, in general, less likely to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity for fear of real and perceived discrimination. Being able to provide LGBT affirming and/or specialized services for those in the community seeking assistance through traditional channels seems to be the next logical step forward. There still seems to be quite a lot of work done in the research field to identify what works best in terms of treatment for the LGBT population however, evidence is showing that if a LGBT person feels welcomed and comfortable within a chemical dependency treatment program, the outcomes of program persistence and adherence is higher. Topic Outline/Critical Points Substance Abuse in the LGBT Community Finlon MSW, C. (2003). Substance abuse in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Journal of Gay Lesbian Social Services, 14(4), 109-116. This article outlines the lack of knowledge in relation to substance abuse and the LGBT community. An online search was