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Date of Report:
10/2006
Source:
Pacific AETC
In October 2005, the Pacific AETC (PAETC) received supplemental HRSA grant
funds through the AETC Mental Health Training Program, along with the other
10 regional AETCs, to train HIV clinicians on the relationship between
substance abuse (SA), mental health, and HIV/AIDS. The purpose of these
funds was to address the increasing need and interest, as demonstrated by a
growing body of research as well as local needs assessment findings, to
improve access to mental health and SA treatment programs for HIV-infected
patients. PAETC decided to use these funds to expand the ability of faculty
based at our local performance sites (LPSs) to train on these issues. A
train-the-trainer (TOT) model was utilized to accomplish this.
In January 2006, PAETC brought together 18 LPS-based faculty, including
physicians (three psychiatrists), nurses, social workers, program directors,
and one dentist, for a one-day TOT program in Los Angeles. The curriculum
was developed by HIV, mental health, and SA clinicians and researchers from
UCLA and the Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center. The
curriculum included four modules:
The SA material presented at the TOT focused on party drugs and polysubstance
use, which reflected the West Coast's experience as well as the increasingly
important relationship between the methamphetamine and HIV epidemics. At the
TOT, participants received slide sets with key speaker points on CD-ROM, a
cultural competency audience exercise, and PAETC's
Tips for HIV Clinicians
Working with Methamphetamine Users
. These
materials have also been posted on the AETC website at
http://www.aidsetc.org
.
After participating in the TOT program, PAETC faculty were required to
provide a minimum of two trainings at their local sites using the
curriculum, which they could modify to address local concerns, before the
end of June. Results far surpassed our expectations. Ten of our LPSs
delivered 25 trainings to almost 800 participants. All agencies that
requested the training expressed interest in additional programs as well.
More than 4,000 individuals have downloaded the Methamphetamine Tip Sheet
from various websites.
We very much appreciated the additional funding which enabled us to build the
capacity of our LPSs to provide tailored training to address these critical
issues in their local communities. These LPSs have made a commitment to
continue to provide mental health and SA training, as well as to integrate
these topics into other clinical programs.
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