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 helps professional care providers and administrators understand the role of culture in the delivery of mental health and substance use services. It describes cultural competence and discusses racial, ethnic, and cultural considerations.

This guide enhances the competencies of substance use disorder treatment counselors. It discusses patient assessment and screening, treatment planning, referral, service coordination, counseling, family and community education, and cultural competency.

This guide addresses specific treatment needs of adult men living with substance use disorders. It reviews gender-specific research and best practices, such as common patterns of substance use among men and specific treatment issues and strategies.

This guide helps substance use counselors treat clients with symptoms of depression and substance use conditions. Program administrators will learn how to integrate depression treatment into early drug treatment. The guidelines cover screening, assessment, treatment, counseling, cultural competence, and continuing care.

This report gives an overview of shared decision-making (SDM), an intervention that enables people to actively manage their own health. It examines research on the effects of SDM in general and mental health care, and includes recommendations for advancing SDM in practice.

This toolkit is for practitioners living with a mental illness who wish to own and operate mental health services. The toolkit provides guidance based on evidence-base practices, and includes a brochure, presentation, and introductory video.

This kit provides practice principles for supported employment, an approach to vocational rehabilitation for people living with serious mental illness. The kit promotes the belief that everyone living with serious mental illness is capable of working competitively in the community.

This toolkit gives practice principles for integrated treatment for mental illness, substance use disorders, or both, and offers advice from successful programs. The toolkit includes a brochure, a PowerPoint presentation, and a introductory video.

This manual guides disaster response workers in assisting survivors of mass violence and terrorism and their families. It discusses basic counseling skills, when to refer to mental health services, populations with special needs, and stress prevention and management for workers.