Members of the Youth Integration Centers team receive training in the Universal Treatment Curriculum
The Universal Treatment Curriculum (UTC) Training of Trainers was carried out, which is promoted by the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission of the Organization of American States (CICAD/OAS) and the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP).
This program has been created by different teams of curriculum developers, under the coordination of the International Center for the Accreditation and Training of Addiction Professionals (ICCE), and its objective is to provide knowledge and skills to people dedicated to the field of mental health and drug care. In this way, it seeks to increase international treatment capacity through training, and thus, reduce the health, social and economic burden associated with substance use disorders.
On this occasion, 17 people from the team of the Youth Integration Centers, A.C. (CIJ), host institution of ISSUP Mexico, were summoned.The workshop was attended by ten women and seven men, with different professional profiles, who carry out their functions from areas dedicated to prevention, treatment and training in addictions, as well as those in charge of the operation of institutional programs. The different approaches, experience and work in different contexts that is carried out by each of these professionals, resulted in a very enriching experience, since it allowed the exchange of knowledge and good practices based on evidence that are implemented from their trenches.
The trainers in charge of the workshop were Evelyn Bordón Turo, originally from Paraguay and Diego Camacho Madrigal from Costa Rica, who made an extraordinary dumbbell and through exercises with great dynamism, shared their extensive knowledge, culture and human quality with the participants. Throughout eight working sessions, which correspond to the UTC modules, topics related to physiology and pharmacology were reviewed; mental disorders and co-occurring medical illnesses; basic counseling skills; screening, evaluation, and treatment planning; Case Management, Crisis Intervention, and Ethics for Addiction Professionals. These contents and the standardized methodology of the workshop are designed to ensure the development of a balanced perspective of the principles related to both the science and the art of treatment. In this way, professionals integrate new tools that can be replicated among their work teams and in different contexts, in order to continue working for the benefit of societies.
The workshop concluded with a closing ceremony, where certificates of participation were awarded. Jimena Kalawski, Chief of the Drug Demand Reduction Unit of CICAD/OAS, was present at the event, who with great enthusiasm recognized the work of the CIJs and pointed out the importance of professionals immersed in the study and care of addictions receiving this type of training to continue expanding the global network of treatment of drug use and its consequences. For her part, Andrea Escobar, Officer of the Drug Demand Reduction Unit, also of CICAD/OAS, said that this training prepares participants for professional certification, by providing the most current information on substance use disorders and their treatment, as well as by facilitating practical activities to develop skills. Trust and competence. He also emphasized that this is just the starting point of what will be an important collaboration with CIJ.
The closing ceremony was also attended by Carmen Fernández Cáceres, General Director of CIJ and President of the Mexico Chapter of ISSUP, who reiterated the institutional commitment to the professionalization of people from all sectors and academic profiles, with a view to improving the quality of mental health and addiction care services. In turn, Dr. Fernández reported on the continuity that will be given to this Training of Trainers project and the importance of accessing certifications that accredit the professional capabilities of the CIJ team at a global level.
In this way, 17 members of the CIJ team, with different backgrounds, different points of view and different frameworks of action, met with a common goal: to share knowledge. Now is the time to take advantage of this information, replicate it and transform it into actions and programs aimed at improving the health status and quality of life of people affected by mental health conditions and/or addictions.
