The HIV clinical tutorial for community mental health professionals.

HIV disease is an emerging community mental health concern. The need for specialized training to help community mental health professionals develop comprehensive knowledge and skills to serve this new population of clients is evident. The HIV clinical tutorial model is an innovative approach to continuing education characterized by an experiential and clinical orientation, a small participant group, and an interdisciplinary faculty. The three-day intensive workshop provides participants with experiences that can alter their perspective toward clients affected by HIV/AIDS and toward the role of the mental health system in responding to this epidemic. Similar training programs should be developed nationwide through collaboration among medical schools, teaching hospitals, public health departments and community mental health centers.