("White House Drug Policy: Funding." (2006) Office of National Drug Control Policy) The lack of medical resources, however, currently available through most CAPs may make it difficult for CAPs to provide meaningful medical aid to addicted individuals. Most of the aid is likely to be directed towards hosting counseling and support groups. However, unlike federal drug efforts, CAPs, by allying themselves with faith-based community partnerships can provide psychological support by directing persons in need towards the potentially beneficial role that faith and spirituality play in the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse as conveyed through programs designed to treat and promote recovery from substance abuse such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. ("Faith Based and Community Initiatives," 2006, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
Relationship between CAPs and HIV / AIDS
CAPs would seem ideal to fight AIDS, given that CAPs can deploy "community-oriented primary care," or an approach to primary care that uses "epidemiological and clinical skills in a complementary fashion to tailor programs to meet the particular health needs of a defined population." ("Community-Oriented Primary Care," 2006, Prevention Platform: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services) AIDS and HIV infection are widespread community health problems, but the tailored nature of CAPs has the potential to provide individualized support to specific populations with specific needs, such as prevention efforts directed towards young people, the health needs of uninfected and infected gay men, women with AIDS who are or may become pregnant, or intravenous needle users.
Funding for condom distribution or needle distribution may be difficult to find, however, especially if the CAP is closely allied with faith-based groups within a particular community, and also individuals with these problems may have many health needs that the CAP cannot address, although the CAP can channel infected persons or persons with concerns...
But because most do not provide health care and may be divided between the needs of allied, faith-based organizations, they cannot offer a complete network of support. Volunteers and employees of CAPs should be able to direct persons to agencies that can fulfill needs the CAP is unable to address.
Works Cited
About Us: Community Action Agencies (CAA)." (2006). Community Action
Partnership (CAP). Retrieved 2 Dec 2006 at http://www.communityactionpartnership.com/about/about_caas/default.asp
Community Action Agencies and Faith-Based Organizations: A Legacy of Productive partnerships." 2000). Community Action Partnership (CAP). Retrieved 2 Dec 2006 at http://www.communityactionpartnership.com/research/CAAs-FBOs.pdf
Community Action Agencies and Local Youth: Building a Future Together." (2003).
Community Action Partnership (CAP). Retrieved 2 Dec 2006 at http://www.communityactionpartnership.com/pdfs/research/Youth_Report_Main.pdf
Community-Oriented Primary Care" (2006) Prevention Platform: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration. Retrieved 2 Dec 2006 at http://preventionplatform.samhsa.gov/MacroHQ/Glossary2/viewgloss.cfm?action=terms&letter=C&gloss=all§_id=1&topic_id=99&CFID=353834&CFTOKEN=7382
Faith Based and Community Initiatives." (2006). Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration. Retrieved 2 Dec 2006 at http://www.samhsa.gov/FBCI/background.aspx
White House Drug Policy: Funding." (2006) Office of National Drug Control Policy. Retrieved 2 Dec 2006 at http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/funding/prevent.html
