Open AccessTraining the addiction treatment workforce in HIV endemic regions: An overview of the South Africa HIV Addiction Technology Transfer Center initiative.
Author(s) -
Kelli Scott,
Goodman Sibeko,
Beverley Cummings,
Bronwyn Myers,
Katherine Sorsdahl,
Dan J. Stein,
Caroline Kuo,
Sara J. Becker
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
training and education in professional psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.623
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1931-3926
pISSN - 1931-3918
DOI - 10.1037/tep0000286
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , addiction , brief intervention , workforce development , workforce , intervention (counseling) , capacity building , psychology , referral , medical education , medicine , government (linguistics) , family medicine , nursing , psychiatry , political science , law , linguistics , philosophy
The South Africa HIV Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) was formed in 2017 to train health professionals and nonprofessional lay workers in evidence-based addiction interventions as a strategy for addressing the country's HIV epidemic. This article describes the Year 1 activities of the South Africa HIV ATTC including an initial needs assessment with high-level stakeholders, an advisory board meeting with South African government and nongovernment agencies, a learning exchange with other international ATTCs, and the identification of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) as a focal intervention for widespread training. The article details the culmination of Year 1 activities via a national forum on SBIRT and presents posttraining satisfaction data across SBIRT events. Lessons learned during the first year include the importance of building strong partnerships with high-level stakeholders, conducting a targeted needs assessment, and identifying a focal intervention for widespread dissemination. Trainees reported high satisfaction and intention to use the knowledge and skills gained. Overall, the methods used by the South Africa HIV ATTC demonstrate a novel approach to training health professionals and lay health workers in evidence-based addiction services as a means of improving HIV outcomes.