Updated Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) for Counseling Approaches to Promote Recovery from Problematic SUD

The Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released a new Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP): “Counseling Approaches to Promote Recovery from Problematic Substance Use and Related Issues”. This TIP provides guidance to counselors, administrators, and supervisors about recovery-oriented services, supports, and care; allowing them to better serve individuals in or seeking recovery from problematic substance use.

The TIP spans nearly 300 pages, and covers best practices in recovery-oriented counseling, continuum of care, strengths-based counseling techniques, counseling approaches that promote harm reduction – such as trauma-informed care, motivational approaches, family-therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and others.

The TIP reflects careful consideration of all relevant clinical and health services research, demonstrated experience, and implementation requirements to form comprehensive best practices. It is rooted in the core principle that people living with SUD should have access to recovery-oriented systems of care, where providers offer these individuals treatment, recovery support, and other services that take a long-term, coordinated, and holistic approach to addressing their substance use-related challenges. It is built around the core framework that the four major domains that support a life in recovery are health, home, purpose, and community. And suggests that counselors can improve outcomes in recovery from SUD by connecting clients to a range of tools and resources in these domains.