Publications and Digital Products

This Advisory is based on Technical Assistance Publication (TAP) 21, Addiction Counseling Competencies: The Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes of Professional Practice. It discusses the development of the counseling competencies and the validated research on which they are based, provides a simplified overview of their structure and the elements of a typical competency, and outlines how these competencies are changing the field of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment nationwide. The Advisory also addresses the critical role of cultural competency.

This guide provides information and practices that behavioral health providers can implement in their daily practice with patients or clients who are involved in the criminal justice system. 

TIP 61 provides behavioral health professionals with practical guidance about Native American history, historical trauma, and critical cultural perspectives in their work with American Indian and Alaska Native clients. The TIP discusses the demographics, social challenges, and behavioral health concerns of Native Americans. It highlights the importance of providers’ cultural awareness, cultural competence, and culture-specific knowledge. The TIP also helps administrators, program managers, and clinical supervisors foster a culturally responsive environment for American Indian and Alaska Native clients. Specific topic areas include workforce development strategies, program and professional development considerations, and culturally responsive policies and procedures.  

This 2016 report provides an overview of data from the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances program. It presents findings that indicate that systems of care provide services and promote positive outcomes for underserved children and youth within the mental health system.

This report shines the spotlight on the critical issues and services for Americans with serious mental illnesses (SMI) and serious emotional disturbances (SED), and the importance of concerted efforts by the federal government to address their needs.  The report presents the current status of federal activities and a summary of advances in the care and treatment of people with SMI and SED.  The report describes key advances in research and strategies to improve services to these individuals based on presentations given by the Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee (ISMICC) members at the first ISMICC meeting.

This Executive Summary to the 2017 report to Congress shines the spotlight on the critical issues and services for Americans with serious mental illnesses (SMI) and serious emotional disturbances (SED). The 2017 report to congress represents the starting point in a five-year process of improving the lives of people with SMI and SED. This 8-page summary delineates the five focus areas, each with 8-10 recommendations. These recommendations are from the non-federal members and represent common areas in which federal partners and stakeholders can work together to implement over the next five years.

This report highlights existing programs that address behavioral health disparities among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander boys and young men. It also outlines effective tools and best practices in working with this population.

This report presents a first-of-its-kind collaborative tribal-federal blueprint for improving the behavioral health of American Indians and Alaska Natives. This was developed in response to calls from tribal leaders for improved collaboration with federal agencies to address the behavioral health of their communities.

This guide explores barriers to accessing substance use disorder and mental health treatment services in rural communities, and the benefits of telehealth for these communities. It assists practitioners with implementing telehealth technologies as a means to increase access to services.

This guide offers best practices for treating women living with substance use disorders in co-ed treatment and recovery settings. It highlights the importance of gender differences, cultural sensitivity, and developing healthy relationships.