Mission

U.S. researchers and treatment providers have, for many years, noted the difficulty of reaching out to and treating the Hispanic alcoholic and substance abuser.  Similarly, prevention and education programs appear to have had minimal impact.  A major part of the problem appears to be rooted in important cultural differences between Hispanics and Anglos and the reality that most programs have been designed by and for Anglos. Research visits by HASP (Hispanic Addictions Studies Program) staff members to treatment programs in Mexico reveal significant differences in their views of the substance abuse problems of the clients in their country compared with U. S. drug treatment agency orientations. The concept of HASP is an outgrowth of research by the director of HASP (Professor Mary Cuadrado) as a Fulbright Scholar, and Professor Louis Lieberman, throughout Mexico during 2003, and subsequent visits and meetings at Universidad Veracruzana (UV) in Xalapa, Mexico.

Although there are many competent substance abuse training programs in the U. S., we believe that students of the addictions in the U. S., as well as many other professionals currently working with Hispanics, can benefit from the cultural knowledge and cultural experiences of those working solely with a Hispanic clientele in a traditional Hispanic culture environment such as Mexico. Conversely, addictions workers and professionals in Hispanic countries may profit from studying the preventive education programs in the U. S. as well as learning about innovative detoxification and treatment techniques developing here.

Another important focus of HASP concentrates on cultural sensitivity issues of criminal justice and criminal justice health related personnel in the U. S. who work with Mexicans and other Hispanics. These persons, in day to day interactions with recent immigrants or other Hispanics with low acculturation levels, may not appreciate the sharp differences in cultural attitudes and expectationstoward government and governmental agencies. These differences in attitudes held by recent immigrant Hispanics compared to those born in the U. S. as well as U. S. born Anglos may be particularly acute and present problems for the low acculturation Hispanic, the police and other law enforcement agencies, as well as health agencies.

In sum, the Hispanic Addictions Studies Program is the only center in the UnitedStates to focus upon and provide opportunities for professionals and students from both the U. S. and Hispanic countries to understand and experience the cultural differences between Hispanics and U. S. non-Hispanics that relate to addictions prevention, treatment and rehabilitation as well as how this impacts law enforcement and community expectations.