Substance Abuse Providers
Training Opportunities
A Message to Addiction Counselors:
Approximately 80% of drug/alcohol dependent persons are also tobacco dependent. More people will die as a result of their tobacco use than from the use of alcohol and illicit drugs combined. The good news is that roughly 70% of tobacco users want to quit and about half will actually make a quit attempt each year. Consequently, Addiction Counselors are in an ideal position to offer treatment for tobacco dependence to a segment of the population most in need of such help. Listed below are training opportunities to assist you in integrating tobacco treatment into the course of treatment for other substances.
Substance Abuse counselors are in an ideal position to assess their clients’ readiness to change their tobacco use and to help them move in the direction of quitting tobacco. But many counselors feel ill-equipped to talk to clients about this issue and to help them plan for change. Listed below are training opportunities to assist you in integrating tobacco treatment into the course of mental health treatment.
Training Opportunities
Training, events, and conferences focused on the many different areas of tobacco treatment are offered each year by The Partnership For A Tobacco-Free Maine (PTM) and its related public health and nonprofit partners. PTM, through its contractor The MaineHealth Center For Tobacco Independence (CTI) offers the following tobacco treatment training events. (For information about the current year’s schedule and to register), click here.
Confident Conversations: Training for Social Service Providers
Confident Conversations is a no-cost education and awareness session provided by your local Healthy Maine Partnership (HMP). The purpose of this presentation is to provide information for non-clinical staff of social service providers to help their clients in the quitting process. The presentation:
- Provides a background on the health effects of smoking and secondhand smoke
- Describes tobacco treatment
- Provides resources for quitting
- Describes the agency’s role in conducting a very brief intervention to support their clients and families
The PowerPoint point presentation and discussion takes about one hour and the training is available now for all social service providers. Please contact your local Healthy Maine Partnership to schedule a Confident Conversations Training. You can find your local HMP here. There is a drop-down menu that lists all Maine towns on the right hand side of the Home Page.
Tobacco Intervention Basic Skills Trainings
The Basic Skills Training teaches professionals how to incorporate tobacco treatment messages into their professional practices. Evidence-based information on how to conduct Brief Tobacco Interventions will be reviewed. The training is a pre-requisite for attendance of the annual Intensive Tobacco Treatment Training and Conference offered each spring.
Tobacco Intervention Basic Skills Training for Students
The Basic Skills Training teaches students how to incorporate tobacco treatment messages into their future professional practices. This training curriculum is being offered to all Maine colleges and universities which train students in the field of healthcare including, but not limited to: Schools of Nursing, Schools of Social Work, Counseling Programs, Dental Hygienist Schools, Respiratory Health Programs, Medical Schools and Schools of Pharmacy. There is no charge for this program.
Intensive Tobacco Treatment Training and Conference
This advanced training is designed for healthcare and education professionals who are delivering or preparing to deliver intensive tobacco treatment services. For the fifth year, the Intensive Tobacco Treatment Training is being combined with a statewide conference, bringing together all those professionals in the state of Maine who are involved in providing evidence-based tobacco treatment services. Attendance of a Tobacco Intervention: Basic Skills Training is a prerequisite for attending this conference.
Webinars
A series of webinars is offered each year on current topics relevant to healthcare professionals. There is no charge for attendance of these webinars.
CTI Treatment Center Mentoring Program
A goal of the PTM Tobacco Treatment Center conducted by the Center for Tobacco Independence is to advance the capacity and quality of intensive tobacco treatment intervention resources in the state. To this end, the center has developed a 1 day practicum for qualified tobacco treatment specialists who need or want additional training and guidance to improve their skills around delivery of intensive interventions in their own practice. The Treatment Center staff will mentor qualified specialists on an individual basis in a structured program that focuses on evidence-driven, best practices for tobacco treatment.
There is no charge for the Mentoring Program.
Helpers Training
NEW!
This new training component is intended to expand the number of compassionate and skilled helpers within our local communities who feel comfortable assisting their family member, co workers and friends.
The Helpers Trainings provide practical skills and information to both non-clinical professionals and to non-professional lay helpers who have a desire to assist Maine residents with quitting the use of tobacco.
Become a Certified Helpers Trainer (CHT). A CHT can be any health professional with at least an Associates Degree who has been tobacco-free for at least one year. The certification period is 3 years. CHT’s are authorized to schedule and conduct their own Helpers Trainings.
Additional Training Opportunities
In addition to the above-listed trainings, PTM also schedules topical trainings. For a list of this trainings, as well as to view the schedule and registration information for all the training opportunities, please click here. Same link
