ACRIA Is one of ten NYS DOH AIDS Institute Regional Training Centers, which provide roughly 500 training days to approximately 8,000 - 8,500 non-physician health and human services providers annually. Based on regional demand and on-going needs assessments, training centers offer courses from a menu of more than 30 trainings. Each training center regularly offers job-specific introductory training for staff who serve as community HIV/AIDS educators, HIV test counselors, case managers, and nurses. Regional training centers are uniquely poised to provide training about new state regulations that affect HIV/AIDS services. New courses are continually being added to the menu. For details on current courses please click on the course titles below.

Upcoming Trainings
(July - December 2008)

Building Bridges to Cultural Competency                             Friday, October 24, 9am-5pm, Bronx

This one day training explores the broad definition of culture and its relationship to competent and effective healthcare and human service delivery. Using didactic presentations, case studies and skills building exercises participants will:

• Discuss invisible privilege and its affect on both receiving and providing services;
• Be encouraged to self reflect and explore potential obstacles; and
• Learn how these obstacles are created when diverse cultures, Western medicine and human service deliveries collide.

Prerequisite: None

Audience: All Health and Human Service Providers.

Basic Information about Domestic Violence                 Friday, September 19, 9am-5pm, Queens

This one-day training gives overview of the interrelationships between adult domestic violence and HIV/AIDS.

The goals of this training are to assist health and human services providers to:

• Understand the nature and dynamics of domestic violence;
• Conduct assessments and discussing domestic violence with clients living with HIV/AIDS;
• Create emergency safety plans with victims of domestic violence; and
• Make appropriate referrals in situations involving domestic violence.

Prerequisite: None

Audience: All Health and Human Service Providers including:

• Case Managers
• HIV/STD Counselors
• Substance Use Counselors
• Nurses
• Mid-level Practitioners
• HIV Educators/Outreach Workers

This half-day training will provide updated information for non-clinical providers about advances in HIV/AIDS treatment. Programs are updated regularly to address emerging issues and will cover various topics ranging from:

• New developments in Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART)
• Newly approved (or soon to come) medications;
• Vaccine research;
• Drug resistance and resistance testing
• Drug/drug interactions;
• Updates to treatment guidelines; and
• The role of the non-clinical provider in supporting decisions around treatment

Prerequisite: Prior attendance at a basic training, such as "Overview of HIV Infection and AIDS", is required.

Audience: All Health and Human Service Providers who work with people with HIV/AIDS.

This one-day training will provide participants with skills to establish effective partnerships with their clients. This training will focus on what both the case manager and client bring to the case management process. The training will also explore how to address sensitive issues with clients, develop positive confrontation skills and strategies to work with client resistance.

Topics to be covered include:

• Engaging and maintaining clients in the case management process;
• Clarifying roles and responsibilities of clients and Case Managers;
• Recognizing and following through on client's subtle hints, cues and inconsistencies regarding sensitive issues;
• Using a strength-based approach in dealing with resistance;
• Confronting clients in a respectful and effective manner; and
• Developing a variety of strategies to address clients' resistance.

Prerequisite: Although there is no prerequisite for this course, it is strongly suggested that participants have previous training in HIV Confidentiality, Basic Domestic Violence, Basic HIV/AIDS medical information and have taken "Introduction to Case Management."

Audience: Case Management staff and Health and Human Service Providers including:

• Direct-service staff
• Supervisors
• Program Directors

HIV/AIDS Confidentiality Law                                            Tuesday, September 16, 1-5pm, Queens

This half-day training provides information about New York State's HIV Confidentiality Law (Public Health Law Article 27-F). This training is designed to meet provider requirements for initial and annual confidentiality training.

 Topics to be covered:

• Basic components and intent of the law;
• Rules concerning confidentiality;
• Disclosure and signed releases;
• Penalties and sanctions for violation of the law;
• Documentation and record keeping;
• Workplace policy and procedure requirements; and
• Information about regulations regarding HIV case reporting and partner notification as it relates to confidentiality issues.

Prerequisite: None

Audience: All Health and Human Service Providers

Community Educator Training                 Mon-Thurs, October 6-9, 9am-5pm, Bronx

This four-day training is designed to prepare the participants to serve as community HIV/AIDS educators. Participants will be required to give a presentation to the class on the final day of training. During the training, potential Community HIV/AIDS Educators learn:

• Facts about HIV/AIDS;
• Risk reduction skills and teaching strategies;
• The effect of STDs on the transmission of HIV;
• Information about June 1, 2000 HIV Reporting and Partner Notification regulations;
• Public speaking skills;
• Nonjudgmental perspective, and cultural sensitivity; and
• Other training skills such as answering participant's questions and facilitation of class discussion.

 Prerequisite:    None

 Audience:  All Health and Human Service Providers. Open to members of the community.

HIV Testing in NYS: 2005 Guidance                                    Thursday, December 4, 1-5pm, Bronx

This half-day training will provide information regarding the 2005 Department of Health (DOH) guidance on HIV counseling and testing. As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

• List the core elements of the 2005 DOH guidance;
• Describe streamlined options for preparing clients for testing;
• Determine when a patient would benefit from face to face pre-test counseling;
• Be familiar with revised "Informed Consent to Perform HIV Testing" and "Authorization for Release of Medical Information and Confidential HIV Related Information" forms;
• List the elements of effective post-test counseling with an emphasis on;
• Strategies for effectively linking HIV positive patients to care;
• Working in partnership with HIV positive patients to promote notification of sexual and needle sharing partners and;
• Referring high risk patients who test negative to prevention services.

Prerequisite: Although there is no prerequisite for this training, it is strongly recommended that participants have previous training in basic HIV/AIDS.

Additional Training: Participants who would like an opportunity to practice the skills associated with offering HIV testing services may choose to attend "HIV Testing: Skills Practice Session".

Audience: Experienced and new health or human service providers who offer HIV testing as a part of their job responsibilities. Staff preparing to offer testing in community based organizations may attend this training or "Offering Rapid HIV Testing in CBOs Serving High Risk Communities".

 
HIV Testing Skills: Practice Session                                    Friday, December 5, 9am-5pm, Bronx

 This one-day training will provide participants with an opportunity to practice key skills related to offering HIV testing services. As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

• Assess when a client requires face to face pre-test counseling;
• Conduct streamlined pre-test counseling;
• Deliver preliminary positive and confirmed positive HIV test result;
• Link newly diagnosed HIV positive patients to health care and support services;
• Work in partnership with HIV positive patients to promote notification of sexual and needle sharing partners, and;
• Conduct the NYS domestic violence screening protocol.

Prerequisite: Knowledge of basic HIV/AIDS information and attendance at "HIV Testing in NYS: 2005 Guidance " or an equivalent training.

Audience: Any health or human service provider who offers HIV testing as part of their job responsibilities.

Domestic Violence in the LGBT Community                 Friday, September 26, 9am-5pm, Queens

This one-day training was developed by the New York State Office for prevention of Domestic Violence and the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute.

This one-day training program will assist participants to:

• Examining the beliefs, values and attitudes that can impact their ability to respond to Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Bisexual (LGTB) victims of domestic violence; and
• Increase knowledge and skills to sensitively and effectively address LGTB domestic violence.

Prerequisite: Although there is no prerequisite for this course, it is strongly suggested that participants have previous training on domestic violence, and basic HIV/AIDS information. Participants are strongly encouraged to attend the "Basic Information about Domestic Violence" prior to attending this training.

Audience: All Health and Human Service Providers including:

• Domestic Violence Service Providers

Promoting Adherence to HIV Treatment                               Tuesday, December 9, 1-5pm, Bronx 

This half-day training will assist participants to identify and take advantage of multiple opportunities to support treatment adherence in the course of their work.

Participants will increase their knowledge and practice skills in which to:

• Provide support at the initiation of therapy;
• Discuss side effects and their impact on adherence;
• Support clients in taking advantage of various adherence tools;
• Identify the importance of peer support; and
• Monitor adherence throughout the course of care.

Prerequisite: It is strongly recommended that participants have previous knowledge or training on basic HIV/AIDS information.

Audience: All non-physician Health and Human Service Providers

Overview of HIV/AIDS Infection                                            Tuesday, September 23, 1-5pm, Bronx                                                                                                  Tuesday, November 11, 1-5pm, Queens

This half-day training is designed to give the participant a basic understanding of HIV infection and AIDS.

Topics to be covered:

• HIV transmission;
• HIV prevention strategies;
• Course of HIV infection and AIDS;
• Importance of early detection;
• Treatment to slow down HIV; and
• Treatment to prevent opportunistic infection.

Prerequisite: None

Audience: All Health and Human Service Providers.

Introduction to Case Management                                     Friday, November 14, 9am-5pm, Bronx

This one-day training will provide participants from COBRA and AIDS Institute grant-funded programs with the basic understanding of the case management process.

Topics to be covered include:

• History and evolution of case management;
• Review and comparison of case management models;
• Distinction between case management and other forms of client interventions;
• Nature and importance of goal-planning;
• Components and relationship between steps of the case management process;
• Case coordination with other service providers; and
• Reasons and process for closure.

Prerequisite: Although there is no prerequisite for this course, it is strongly suggested that participants have previous training in HIV confidentiality and basic HIV/AIDS medical information.

Audience: New Case Management staff and Health and Human Service Providers including:

• Direct-service staff
• Supervisors
• Program Directors