Observations on the recent history of drug user counseling

FRANÇAIS :
Passage en revue des modifications du rôle d'intervenant "en toxicomanie" au cours des 25 dernières années aux Etats-Unis. Initialement, les intervenants sont majoritairement des professionnels ayant eu une expérience toxicomaniaque ou des ex-toxicomanes. Ces intervenants travaillent essentiellement auprès des héroïnomanes et leur expérience est précieuse pour les professionnels de la santé mentale qui investissent progressivement le terrain. Ces derniers, utilisant des méthodes éducatives remplacent peu à peu les "professionnels de l'expérience". Actuellement une réhabilitation de ce premier type d'intervenants est en cours. On estime en effet que leur expérience et leur connaissance des toxicomanes pourraient constituer un atout important dans la lutte contre le Sida.
ENGLISH :
The drug user counselor role is explored in terms of its changing nature over the course of the past 25 years. Initially, the drug user counselor could be characterized as a professional based on his or her experience, or as an ex-addict paraprofessional in the language of that time. Working very largely with a heroin-using clientele, the counselor was the advisor and role model who could not be conned and, thereby, the essential counterpart to the mental health professionals who were entering the drug misuse field. Over time, these latter professionals based on education have become increasingly evident and the "professionals of experience" have become less so. Over the past few years, awareness of the significance of the contributions of "professionals of experience" has been reawakened by the threat of AIDS and the recognition of counselors' contributions to outreach and AIDS prevention counseling.