Case management has been variously classified as a skill group, a core function, service coordination, or a network of "friendly neighbors." Although it defies precise definition, case management generally can be described as a coordinated approach to the delivery of health, substance abuse, mental health, and social services, linking clients with appropriate services to address specific needs and achieve stated goals. The Consensus Panel that developed this TIP believes that case management lends itself to the treatment of substance abuse, particularly for clients with other disorders and conditions who require multiple services over extended periods of time and who face difficulty in gaining access to those services. This document details the factors that programs should consider as they decide to implement case management or modify their current case management activities. This summary is excerpted from the main text, in which references to the research appear.

This Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP)is a companion to TIP 51, Substance Abuse Treatment: Addressing the Specific Needs of Women. These two volumes look at how gender-specific treatment strategies can improve outcomes for men and women, respectively.The physical, psychological, social, and spiritual effects of substance use and abuse on men can be quite different from the effects on women, and those differences have implications for treatment in behavioral health settings. Men are also affected by social and cultural forces in different ways than women, and physical differences between the genders influence substance use and recovery as well.This TIP, Addressing the Specific Behavioral Health Needs of Men, addresses these distinctions. It provides practical information based on available evidence and clinical experience that can help counselors more effectively treatment with substance use disorders

reatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs) are developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Each TIP involves the development of topic-specific best-practice guidelines for the prevention and treatment of substance use and mental disorders. TIPs draw on the experience and knowledge of clinical, research, and administrative experts of various forms of treatment and prevention. TIPs are distributed to facilities and individuals across the country.