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Recommended citation: Das, S., Muhetaer, K, & Alvarado, H. A. (2022, May 2). Geographic distribution of integrated HIV care in substance use treatment facilities (CBHSQ Spotlight). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The White House, in collaboration with federal partners and with input from the HIV community across the United States, released the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (2022-2025) (NHAS). The fourth goal of NHAS emphasizes the need for integrated care of substance use services as a strategy to end the HIV epidemic. People who use/misuse substances are at increased risk of contracting HIV 1. Early intervention covers routine offering and encouragement of HIV/STI (sexually transmitted infections) counseling, testing, and the provision of prophylactic and anti-viral prescription2. The key aim of this analysis is to provide a distribution of HIV and related services offered in substance-use treatment facilities. The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), an annual census of facilities providing treatment services for substance use disorders3, was used for this analysis for the years 2015-2020. We selected three variables collected through N-SSATS: HIV testing, STI testing and early intervention.
The responses are aggregated by year and presented graphically. Florida, Nevada, New York and the southern states have more than 30 percent of facilities offering early intervention. Coastal and southern states house more than 30 percent of the substance use facilities that provide HIV testing services for their clients in 2020. Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, New York, and Massachusetts house more than 30 percent of the nation’s substance use facilities providing STI testing services. SAMHSA funds grants that integrate HIV testing, treatment, and prevention services into behavioral healthcare settings. These efforts significantly support the NHAS strategy and will assist in overcoming individual and health system barriers to implement effective integration of substance-use prevention and treatment. The HIV epidemic cannot be addressed without attending to the needs of people who use or misuse substances and integrated care.
1. Elkbuli A, Polcz V, Dowd B, McKenney M, Prado G. HIV prevention intervention for substance users: a review of the literature. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2019;14(1):1.
2. SAMHSA. Fact Sheet. Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. Early Intervention Services for HIV. Rockville, MD 2000.
3. SAMHSA. National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS): 2020. Data on Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities. In: CBHSQ, ed. Rockville, MD 2021.
