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Substance use workforce training needs during intersecting epidemics: an analysis of events offered by a regional training center from 2017 to 2020.
Scott, Kelli; Salas, Mika D H; Bayles, Denise; Sanchez, Raymond; Martin, Rosemarie A; Becker, Sara J.
  • Scott K; New England Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI, 02903, USA. kelli_scott@brown.edu.
  • Salas MDH; Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 222 Richmond Street, Providence, RI, 02903, USA. kelli_scott@brown.edu.
  • Bayles D; New England Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
  • Sanchez R; New England Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
  • Martin RA; New England Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
  • Becker SJ; New England Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
BMC Public Health ; 22(1): 1063, 2022 05 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1933128
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Intersecting opioid overdose, COVID-19, and systemic racism epidemics have brought unprecedented challenges to the addiction treatment and recovery workforce. From 2017 to 2020, the New England Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) collected data in real-time on the training and technical assistance (TA) requested and attended by the front-line workforce. This article synthesizes practice-based evidence on the types of TA requests, topics of TA, attendance numbers, and socio-demographics of TA attendees over a 3-year period spanning an unprecedented public health syndemic.

METHODS:

We assessed TA events hosted by the New England ATTC using SAMHSA's Performance Accountability and Reporting System post-event survey data from 2017 to 2020. Events were coded by common themes to identify the most frequently requested training types/topics and most frequently attended training events. We also evaluated change in training topics and attendee demographics over the three-year timeline.

RESULTS:

A total of 258 ATTC events reaching 10,143 participants were analyzed. The number of TA events and attendance numbers surged in the 2019-2020 fiscal year as TA events shifted to fully virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic. The absolute number of opioid-related events increased, but the relative proportion remained stable over time. The relative proportions of events and attendance rates focused on evidence-based practice and health equity both increased over the 3-year period, with the largest increase after the onset of the pandemic and the murder of George Floyd. As events shifted to virtual, events were attended by providers with a broader range of educational backgrounds.

CONCLUSIONS:

Results of the current analysis indicate that the demand for TA increased during the pandemic, with a prioritization of TA focused on evidence-based practice and health equity. The practice-based evidence generated from the New England ATTC may help other training and TA centers to anticipate and nimbly respond to the needs of the workforce in the face of the intersecting epidemics.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Substance-Related Disorders / COVID-19 Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: BMC Public Health Journal subject: Public Health Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S12889-022-13500-6

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Substance-Related Disorders / COVID-19 Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: BMC Public Health Journal subject: Public Health Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S12889-022-13500-6