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NIDA Offers Training on Substance Abuse and AIDS

—Gerald P. Soucy, Ph.D., Community and Professional Education Branch, OSPEL,

The twin epidemics of intravenous drug abuse (IVDU) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection place increasing burdens on staff who work in methadone maintenance programs. These human problems require staff to have greater drug treatment and prevention knowledge and skills than in the past, because they must now deal effectively with a wider range of issues.

In response to these epidemics, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has developed training courses to assist both clinical and administrative staffs of methadone maintenance and other drug abuse treatment programs. "Our objective is to provide drug abuse treatment and prevention service providers with current information and increased skills that will help them in their professional activities in their local communities," said Ed Morgan of NIDA's Community and Professional Education Branch, where these training curricula were developed. "We have nearly 30 courses that have been developed and refined over the past several years. We are always adding new information on effective drug abuse treatment techniques and care for HIV-related diseases."

Courses helpful for methadone programs

One training curriculum—designed specifically for methadone maintenance programs—helps service providers broaden their abilities to retain IVDU clients in methadone treatment. The course addresses concerns frequently expressed by counseling, medical, and administrative staffs working in these programs.

In addition, two training courses are designed to assist senior program staff and administrators in identifying emerging program issues and to help them develop management skills that address these issues. Other curricula focus on particular topics that have taken on increased importance as programs help clients who suffer from—or are at high risk for—HIV infection. These topics include HIV street outreach, client treatment planning, sexuality, and relapse prevention.

New courses on cultural and ethnic issues

Mr. Morgan is especially pleased with several recent curricula developed and implemented by NIDA. These curricula focus on the importance of cultural and ethnic contexts in providing services that are responsive to patient needs. "Service providers need to be sensitive to all aspects of a patient. Our heritage, origin, community, and family patterns are essential parts of our being unique persons and can be used to help in the recovery process." Two of these courses address cultural issues related to African-Americans and to Hispanic/Latina women. A third focuses on social and peer issues relevant to high-risk adolescents.

A NIDA catalog featuring those organizations which have developed specific curricula under NIDA contracts is currently being revised. These organizations have lists and information about experienced course trainers who reside throughout the country and are part of the national training system. Interested service providers can contact these individuals to make arrangements for a particular training event.

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