Handbook of HIV and Social Work: Principles, Practice, and Populations

Cynthia Cannon Poindexter has taken that “baton” and has given us a remarkable edited volume that contains much information on HIV that every professional social worker needs to know in order to practice competently in today’s complex world. Certainly, for the social worker committed to HIV social work practice as a specialty area, this volume is a “must have” for one’s professional library. I believe it will be the leading work that guides our work in this country at least for the next five to ten years. This handbook builds a critical inter-generational bridge by linking tomorrow’s leaders in HIV social work practice, policy, education, and research with those mentors who are rich with many years of practice wisdom. I commend the editor and all chapter authors for this much needed and excellent addition to our HIV social work knowledge base.

 - Vincent J. Lynch, MSW, PhD, Boston College Graduate School of Social Work

 The long term presence of HIV in the United States continues to challenge contemporary concepts of public health care, human rights, social work practice and policy, and prevention. While there have been some successes in prevention and services, rates of infection and deaths in populations of color have increased markedly over the past decade. Clearly, debate in the United States needs direction to alter the policies and practices that drive national responses to the most crucial disease of our time. This comprehensive handbook assembles a group of social work scholars and practitioners to participate in, guide, and address many of the unresolved challenges characterizing the HIV debates. In 20 chapters, the writers place HIV in historical, practice, and policy context.  This handbook is a valuable and timely addition to the literature.

 - King Davis, MSW, PhD, The Robert Lee Sutherland Chair in Mental Health and Social Policy, University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work

  This Handbook outlines the duality of how the social work profession has responded to changes in the epidemiology, treatment, and funding of the HIV pandemic while also meeting the increasing demand for access to culturally competent services across the broadest range of practice settings. The social work workforce continues to stand ready to address HIV through professional and continuing education opportunities. This Handbook  addresses the social work values, knowledge, and skills necessary to connect  these complex issues at both the micro and macro level practice. This Handbook is an outstanding resource for the social work professional working to ensure equal access to care, treatment, and resources for all persons living with and/or affected by HIV.      

 - Evelyn P. Tomaszewski, MSW, Project Director, NASW HIV/AIDS Spectrum:  Mental Health Training and Education of Social Workers Project

Many people do not remember a time before AIDS, which has been with us for more than 25 years. The condition, its patients, and its treatment, have changed remarkably during those years. This book is an excellent, up-to-date guide on HIV. It is an indispensable resource for all those who work with HIV and all its complications.

- Leon Ginsberg, MSW, PhD, Dean Emeritus, University of South Carolina School of Social Work and Editor, Administration in Social Work