I am a case worker who just got my first HIV positive client. She is a Hispanic young mother of two kids one them is HIV positive too. Currently she her behavior is typical of a passive aggressive person. How would you start helping her. She is not receiving any medical treatment. She is in denial. How would you break the boundaries.

Establish a trusting relationship with the young woman. Show her that you can be trusted. Then start to educate her about the transmission, progression, and treatment of HIV. If you don't know this information yourself, call an AIDS hotline, service organization, or your local health department. The facts about HIV are readily available today. Most information you need, as a matter of fact, is available here at The Body!

Confront her about the reality of what she's doing to herself and her children by not receiving medical treatment. But confront her in a caring way. With today's treatments, HIV is not necessarily an imminently fatal disease. Give her hope at the same time that you give her the facts.

You don't say whom you work for, but it would help you to be in touch with a case manager from your nearest AIDS service organization. S/he will be able to help you with much more detail than is possible here. Then put this young woman in touch with the AIDS service organization in your area.

Good luck with the hard work ahead of you!