Harm Reduction and Behavioral Counseling

Sex, Gender, and HIV/STDs

This two-day training is designed to help health and human services providers promote sexual health among their clients by building their capacity to talk sensitively and non-judgmentally about sexual identity, gender identity and sexual behaviors. Topics to be covered during the training include: sexual and gender identity; strategies for talking with clients about sexual health issues; HIV/STD prevention and harm reduction strategies for sexual behaviors.

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

  • Increase their awareness about the range of sexual and gender identities of their clients;
  • Describe how homophobia and other forms of stigma and discrimination can impact a client's sexual behaviors and ability to practice sexual risk reduction;
  • Increase their comfort in discussing sexual and gender identity with clients;
  • Describe how sexual trauma can impact a client's sexual behaviors and risk for HIV/STDs; and
  • Offer clients harm reduction options for sexual behaviors.

Prerequisite: Although there is no prerequisite for this course, it is strongly recommended that participants have previous knowledge or training on basic HIV/AIDS information.

Audience: All health and human service providers.

Date Location Registration Center
September 30-October 1 Lindenhurst CPHE
October 7-8 Hawthorne ARCS
October 7-8 Albany PDP SUNY Albany
October 13-14 Manhattan Cicatelli
October 21-22 Hudson Falls PDP SUNY Albany
November 12-13 Rochester CHBT
November 19-20 Syracuse REACH
December 3-4 Johnson City STAP
December 3-4 Manhattan NDRI
December 8-9 Hempstead CPHE
December 9-10 Newburgh ARCS

OASAS: The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute is an OASAS Certified Education and Training Provider. This course is approved for initial credentialing and renewal of CASAC, CPP and CPS for 13.0 clock hours.

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Reducing the Risk and Harm of HIV

This three-day training will provide participants with information about what behavioral scientists, HIV/AIDS providers and consumers have found to be helpful in reducing the risk and harm associated with HIV infection.

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

  • Assessing client readiness for change;
  • Describe behavior change counseling; and
  • Identify harm reduction options for sexual and substance use behaviors.

Prerequisite: Although there is no prerequisite for this course, it is strongly recommended that participants have previous knowledge or training on basic HIV/AIDS information.

Audience: All health and human service providers.

Date Location Registration Center
August 18-20 Manhattan NDRI
September 9-11 Amityville CPHE
October 20-22 Hawthorne ARCS

OASAS: The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute is an OASAS Certified Education and Training Provider. This course is approved for initial credentialing and renewal of CASAC, CPP and CPS for 19.5 clock hours.*

*Course are not approved for initial credentialing for CPS.

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Crystal Methamphetamine: Pharmacology, Patterns of Use and Harm Reduction Strategies

This one-day training will provide an overview of the pharmacology of crystal methamphetamine (also know as "meth", "speed" and "tina"). It will describe how and why people are using it, the effects of crystal intoxication, withdrawal and other possible risks and harms associated with use.

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the different ways a client might take crystal meth;
  • List the potential harms associated with use of crystal meth;
  • Offer clients specific strategies to reduce the harm of injection, sexual behaviors and other behaviors associated with crystal meth use;
  • Develop strategies and skills to work effectively with clients at different stages along the continuum of crystal use; and
  • Identify intervention strategies to assist co-workers, family member, loved ones and friends of individuals who are using with crystal meth.

Prerequisite: None

Audience: All health and human service providers including substance use providers.

Date Location Registration Center
July 17 Brooklyn HRC

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Methamphetamines and MSM

This two-day training will increase participants' knowledge of methamphetamine use among MSM (Men Who Have Sex with Men), its connection to HIV, and how providers can work with clients from a harm reduction perspective. Values clarification exercises will help sensitize participants to the issues faced by MSM and increase their skills and competence in addressing methamphetamine use.

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

  • Summarize the pharmacology of methamphetamines and other club drugs;
  • Describe how methamphetamines are used and reasons for use: and
  • List of options that can help clients reduce the harm associated with methamphetamine use.

Prerequisite: Knowledge of basic HIV/AIDS information is recommended but not required.

Audience: All health and human service providers including: HIV/STD counselors, substance abuse counselors, HIV educators/outreach workers, case managers, case management technicians, and nurses.

Date Location Registration Center
October 15-16 Manhattan NDRI

OASAS: The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute is an OASAS Certified Education and Training Provider. This course is approved for initial credentialing and renewal of CASAC, CPP and CPS for 3.0 clock hours.

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Addressing Sexual Risk with Drug Users and their Partners

This one-day training will build participant knowledge and skills in offering sexual harm reduction options to substance users. Expanded access to syringes, other harm reduction services and drug treatment options have helped people greatly reduce their substance use-related risks for HIV. The latest research shows that sexual risk behaviors play a significant role in new cases of HIV among people who use drugs and alcohol.

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

  • Recall the latest research that shows how expanded access to syringes and methadone maintenance programs has greatly reduced the number of new cases of HIV from substance use-related risk;
  • Identify and discuss sexual risk behaviors clients engage in when using drugs and alcohol;
  • Identify harm reduction strategies for reducing sexual risk among people who use drugs and alcohol; and
  • Practice harm reduction messages tailored to sexual behaviors for people who use drugs and alcohol.

Prerequisite: It is strongly recommended that participants have attended "Reducing the Risk and Harm of HIV", "Motivational Interviewing," "Overview of Harm Reduction" and/or have a working knowledge of harm reduction.

Audience: All health and human services providers including: case managers and case management technicians in both COBRA and grant-funded programs, supervisors, and program directors.

Date Location Registration Center
July 8 Plattsburgh PDP SUNY Albany
August 5 Newburgh ARCS
August 11 Manhattan NDRI
September 15 Albany PDP SUNY Albany
October 28 Johnson City STAP
November 5 Greenlawn CPHE
November 14 Hawthorne ARCS
December 8 Queens NDRI

OASAS: The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute is an OASAS Certified Education and Training Provider. This course is approved for initial credentialing and renewal of CASAC, CPP and CPS for 6.5 clock hours.*

*Course are not approved for initial credentialing for CPS.

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Mental Health Issues and Hepatitis C: Working with HCV+ Drug Users

The rates of mental health conditions in patients with chronic hepatitis C are substantially higher than in the general population. The hepatitis C prevalence rates among severely mental ill populations range from 14-20%. HCV positive injection drug user (IDU) populations also have disproportionately higher rates of mental health problems.

This half day training will review the major mental health issues involved in hepatitis C disease and treatment, as well as research around causes, manifestations and treatment of various neuropsychiatric conditions seen in people with hepatitis C.

As a result of this training, participants will:

  • Interpret the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among people with hepatitis C;
  • Identify common neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with chronic hepatitis C infection and the latest information on what may be causing them;
  • Review neuropsychiatric side effects associated with hepatitis C treatment; and
  • Define strategies used to manage side effects of HCV treatment.

Prerequisite: Although there is no prerequisite for this course, it is strongly suggested that participants have basic training in mental health and drug addiction.

Audience: All health and human service providers.

Date Location Registration Center
August 14 Brooklyn HRC
September 1 Staten Island HRC
November 11 Manhattan HRC

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Motivational Interviewing

This one-day training will explore Motivational Interviewing (MI). MI is a collaborative approach to drug use counseling that helps the client develop a schema about the positive and negative effects of drug use to facilitate readiness for treatment and drug use reduction and/or cessation.

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

  • Practice MI techniques such as reflective listening, delivering feedback, summarizing, decisional balancing, and developing change plans;
  • Use strategies for translating MI principles into action such as expressing empathy, developing discrepancy, avoiding argument, and dealing with resistance;
  • Use client ambivalence in the counseling process and strategies for increasing client motivation, self-efficacy and optimism;
  • Participate in skills building activities including case examples, role-plays, and peer feedback as methods to incorporate new skills learned.

Prerequisite: None

Audience: All health and human service providers.

Date Location Registration Center
August 4 Lindenhurst HRC

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HIV/HCV Coinfection and Use of Motivational Interviewing to Reduce Alcohol Use

This one-day training will assist health and human service providers to:

  • Understand the long and short term effects of alcohol abuse on the liver;
  • Understand that moderate use of alcohol can increase disease progression among people living with Hepatitis C;
  • Practice using motivational interviewing and harm reduction strategies for decreasing alcohol intake among HIV/HCV co-infected clients; and
  • Explore issues about HIV/HCV co-infection, transmission, disease progression and treatment, including the impact of HIV medications on the liver.

Prerequisite: None

Audience: Health and human service providers who will deliver substance abuse services including: drug treatment counselors, case managers and direct service staff working with people living with HIV and HCV.

Date Location Registration Center
October 7 Manhattan HRC

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