|
|
Learning Objective:
1. By the end of the presentation participants will be able to identify one challenge to recruiting drug treatment programs to participate in a HCV staff training.
2. By the end of the presentation participants will be able to identify one challenge to the delivery of HCV training at treatment programs.
3. By the end of the presentation participants will be able to discuss three strategies for implementing HCV training at treatment programs.
Background:
Research reveals that drug treatment staff have limited knowledge about Hepatitis C (HCV) and lack skills to communicate with their clients about the virus. Because existing HCV training curricula emphasize HCV knowledge over communication, we developed a curriculum that emphasizes motivational strategies staff can use with their clients. Pilot-testing the training revealed challenges in program recruitment and in the delivery of the training, and strategies for optimizing implementation.
Setting:
Methadone (N=2) and drug-free (N=1) treatment programs located in New York City and New Jersey.
Population e.g. API Youth, MSM, IDU:
Staff at these programs.
Project Description:
Recruitment of programs required discussion with program directors outlining the benefits of participation, program responsibilities, and logistics. We discovered that a program's participation in the training required it to allocate significant time and resources, and we continued to modify the training based on their feedback. We concluded that the best strategy for delivering the training was to offer it twice at each program, in two half-day sessions. While we initially separated the factual component from the component addressing communication strategies, we determined that integrating them made for a more dynamic training. Role plays and group exercises increased staff engagement, as did providing take home materials.
Results/Lessons Learned:
Implementing a research driven training must be flexible to meet competing program demands. To sustain staff interest in the training, it must be engaging, relevant, and perceived as useful for daily work with clients.
See more of H2 - Hepatitis Education Challenges in Substance Abuse Settings
See more of The 2005 National Viral Hepatitis Prevention Conference