Free Telementoring Mentoring Program Aims to Bring Research-Based Practices and Skills Related to Health Care Professionals Working with People who Use Alcohol

The Alcohol Use and Mental Health Project ECHO is a no-cost virtual program for health care professionals who are looking for up-to-date and research-based information on working with people who use alcohol. 

The program, which is only in its first year, has the potential to improve care through enhanced screening for severe alcohol consumption and the application of evidence-based therapies, such as behavioural and pharmaceutical ones. The Alcohol Use and Mental Health ECHO has held 11 sessions as of January 2023, averaging 197 participants per session on a standard deviation of 90.2 (Mean=197, SD=90.2). 86% of the 810 participants who responded to the post-session survey agreed they would utilise what they had learned, 83% said the session had improved their ability to work with other teams, and 75% said they would continue to use what they had learned.

The Alcohol Use and Mental Health Hub Team is working to increase knowledge and skills in the treatment of alcohol use, addiction, and co-occurring conditions among health care professionals, regardless of their training backgrounds or practice settings. By doing this, the Hub Team hopes to contribute in a small way to lowering the overall burden of alcohol use in our society.