Products and Resources Catalog

Telehealth has become more common in the healthcare world, including for substance use disorder and mental health treatment, but not everyone has access to the technology needed to use it. In Idaho, the Department of Health and Welfare led an initiative to create telehealth pods in libraries and other community spaces to help expand access to care and worked to provide funding, technical assistance, and other supports. In an effort to support these libraries and other telehealth access sites, the Center for Advancing Addiction Health Services (CAAHS) at the UW Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute (ADAI) has developed a free online toolkit with the goal of providing information that is crucial to providing safe, supportive, and accessible spaces in community settings where telehealth can be accessed. This webinar describes the Idaho library telehealth project and the development of the toolkit, then ends with a demo of the Third Space Toolkit itself. View slides | Watch recording

Virtual reality (VR) is an immersive technology that creates a simulated experience. Unlike traditional media, such as television or computer screens, VR offers a three-dimensional (3D) experience. One of the remarkable aspects of VR is Social VR, which allows individuals to interact with each other in 3D virtual spaces in real-time. This interaction is facilitated through the use of 360-degree immersive content and head-mounted displays, providing a sense of presence and realism in virtual interactions. In this session, Sarah E. Clingan, Ph.D., Associate Project Scientist at UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, delves into the current state of VR technology, particularly focusing on its application in treating substance use disorders. The presentation explores how VR can be utilized in therapeutic settings, offering insights into both the proven benefits and potential applications of VR that have yet to be fully explored or tested. This exploration includes examining how VR can simulate various environments and scenarios, which could be instrumental in developing new treatment strategies for substance use disorders. Download slides | Download citations handout | View recording

A brief explainer on what Technology Transfer is. Spanish version

The goal of the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network/Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) webinar series is to help scholars and clinicians in the addiction field stay abreast of cutting-edge science. The uptake in the use of telebehavioral services since the start of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) has been swift and is significantly transforming how behavioral health services are delivered. Mental health and SUD treatment services provided virtually are effective and serve as viable alternatives to in-person service delivery. Patients confirm high levels of satisfaction with telebehavioral health, while practitioners report more reluctance. Nonetheless, training has been shown to build practitioners’ skills, confidence, and competency. Using technology to facilitate clinical or recovery support sessions requires clinicians and peer support specialists to simulate real-time experiences (Hilty, 2002) that promote a therapeutic alliance (treatment) or connection (peer support). However, virtual service delivery requires some careful modification of the clinicians’ or peer support specialists’ skills to ensure engagement occurs and positive working relationships are developed. This webinar, presented by Nancy A. Roget, MS, MFT, LADC and Maryellen Evers, LCSW, CAADAC, CMFSW, included a brief review of: telebehavioral health research and its efficacy, strategies that promote skill development, how to create a virtual presence, resources related to guidelines and tips, and comments regarding hybrid service delivery. Co-sponsored by the Northwest and Pacific Southwest ATTCs and the Western States Node of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network. Download slides | View recording

Sample Policies for the Delivery of SUD-related Services  via Audio-Only Telehealth    The Pacific Southwest and Mountain Plains Addiction Technology Transfer Centers created a new product to assist behavioral health providers and peer support specialists that provide services to People with Substance Use Disorders (PWSUDs) using the telephone (mobile, landline, or internet phones). This document provides sample policies and recommended practices that behavioral health providers and peer support specialists can use and/or adapt to help guide the delivery of Audio-Only Telehealth (AOTs). Many behavioral health treatment and peer support experts predict that patients/clients/peers will receive services in a hybrid delivery mode (in-person, videoconferencing, and telephone) in the near future. As such, behavioral health providers and peer support specialists will need to expand their skills and competencies while agencies and/or organizations will need policies and practices in place to guide service delivery utilizing AOTs. This product can be used as a starting point to assist in the implementation of AOTs or to enhance current AOTs. Additional products, infographics with tips, and training events regarding AOTs will be coming soon.

The switch from in-person to virtual service delivery as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic not only changed how clinical services are provided, but also the way clinical supervision is conducted. This self-paced training describes the key skills and tools necessary to provide high quality clinical supervision virtually. Topics include creative engagement strategies for the virtual format, best practices, goal setting, and a discussion about the future of clinical tele-supervision.   Steps to participate: Register for the no-cost, self-paced course. Login to your account on mtplainsattc.org. Watch the webinar. Complete the post-test with a score of at least 80%. Download your 1 CE certificate.  

      DESCRIPTION The pandemic has brought challenges and disruption to substance use disorder services along with opportunities. The presentation will examine these new opportunities and “how to get there.”     LEARNING OBJECTIVES Participants will: Recognize some of the opportunities that have resulted from the pandemic. Explore the role of resilience in responding to service needs during the pandemic, and as a path to opportunities.     PRESENTER Sheila Weix, MSN, RN, CARN During her tenure as a leader in SUD treatment, Sheila Weix has been involved with emergencies related to the HIV epidemic, 9/11, and the 2008 economic collapse. She is currently applying this experience in an outpatient treatment service that includes medication-assisted treatment in rural Wisconsin during the COVID19 pandemic.     IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... Video: Substance Use Disorder Services in the Days of a Pandemic (Part 1) Video: Substance Use Disorder Services in the Days of a Pandemic (Part 2)  

This 2020 series, presented by Sara Smucker Barnwell, PhD, a clinical psychologist, consisted of 6 weekly 2-hour webinars on a range of topics useful for practitioners engaging in telehealth sessions with clients: Frequently Asked Questions about telemental health Introduction to Telemental Health View recording (2 hrs) | Download slides (3x page) | Download slides (full size) Preparing Your Office for Telemental Health View recording (2 hrs) | Download slides (3x page) | Download slides (full size) Client Selection, Intake, and Assessment in Telemental Health View recording (2 hrs) | Download slides (3x page) | Download slides (full size) Clinical Engagement in Telemental Health View recording (2 hrs) | Download slides (3x page) | Download slides (full size) Emergencies, Disruptions, and Pitfalls in Telemental Health View recording (2 hrs) | Download slides (3x page) | Download slides (full size) Risk Management in Telemental Health View recording (2 hrs) | Download slides (3x page) | Download slides (full size)   For more information and resources related to this topic, visit our Telehealth & Telemental Heath page.

Click "download" above to access: Transcript & Slide Deck   The Great Lakes ATTC offers this training for behavioral health professionals in HHS Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI.   The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a seismic shift in how practitioners provide services. With the sudden shift to virtual services, practitioners have been required to learn new ways of doing their essential work, but with little guidance about how to make those sessions work. Prevention Research Institute began providing virtual training services in the addictions treatment field in 2012 and since then has extended this work to prevention and assisting people in the delivery of virtual services. This session will focus on the pragmatic questions of how to do these services with practical suggestions about what helps and what interferes with client engagement, how to prevent problems, and how to manage when challenges arise. The instructors will use a dynamic blend of didactic, discussion and activities to explore these issues and keep learners engaged.   LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the conclusion of the session, participants will: Articulate three steps to take before the virtual session to enhance the likelihood of success Describe three methods to enhance participant engagement Identify three important equipment considerations for virtual sessions Delineate two approaches for managing challenges in a virtual setting   PRESENTER David B. Rosengren, Ph.D, President and CEO, Prevention Research Institute; MINT Member; IPPA Member          

At the beginning of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery support providers had to shift service delivery from a mostly in-person structure to virtual. This swift uptake in the use of telebehavioral-health may be transformative not only for the healthcare system but for the behavioral health field as well. Support derived from clinical and peer group services is essential especially during a PHE when access to services may be limited. SUD treatment and recovery providers have made great strides in virtualizing service delivery especially individual-based services. However, group counseling services, a mainstay in many SUD treatment and recovery support programs, has been more difficult to implement. This two-part webinar series will: review recent research regarding patient satisfaction,  group cohesion, and effectiveness of online group services identify challenges typically associated with online group facilitation and how to address them provide specific recommendations for online group facilitation and how it differs from in-person groups (e.g., tips and techniques, group agreements, etc.) discuss safety protocols, and issues related to ethics and privacy/security and confidentiality in the context of online group case scenarios This webinar series will highlight online group counseling services and will demonstrate its viability as an alternative to traditional in-person groups requiring new facilitative, alliance building, and administrative skills for both counselors and peers.   Telebehavioral Health Group Service Delivery Part 1   Telebehavioral Health Group Service Delivery Part 2

Given the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic and a significant opportunity to carry the momentum of utilizing telehealth services moving forward, the Mountain Plains staff developed and delivered a training/technical assistance plan for Colorado Problem-Solving Courts Judicial Officers, Coordinators and Clinicians that included: a Telehealth Summary document and a two-part webinar series -Part I: Digital Health Technologies: Navigating New Models to Enhance and Expand Service Delivery and Part II: The Effectiveness and Utility of Videoconferencing (Telehealth): The Future is Here. This two-part webinar series examined the use of digital health technologies as a way to expand and enhance service delivery, as well as the effectiveness and utility in videoconferencing as it relates to substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services. Both webinars were recorded and are accessible for download.   Utilizing Digital Technologies & Videoconferencing Webinar Series - Part 1 To download, follow the link above and click 'Download' below the video. Download PowerPoint     Utilizing Digital Technologies & Videoconferencing Webinar Series - Part 2 To download, follow the link above and click 'Download' below the video. Download PowerPoint    

COVID-19 Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Telehealth Response and Sustainability Assessment is a research study on the use of virtual behavioral health services during the pandemic. Its purpose is to gain a better understanding of: How agencies are using telehealth The pros and cons of telehealth services Projected use of telehealth services post-pandemic   Thank you to those who participated in our survey. Your input will be invaluable in our study of telehealth services in the era of COVID-19 and beyond.  

Mid-America ATTC partnered with the Mid-America MHTTC, and Mountain Plains MHTTC and recently completed the Telehealth Learning and Consultation (TLC) Tuesdays, an online series for providers new to or unfamiliar with telehealth to ask questions of our specialists and hear practical advice. This FAQ document encompasses all of the frequently asked questions from the Telehealth Learning and Consultation (TLC) Tuesdays series. Author(s): Roberts, H., Higgins, W., Franta, E., Chadwell, M., Clarke, B.L., Robinson, L./MMI and Mid-America MHTTC

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Provide an overview of telehealth and technology-based interventions best practices, HIPAA-compliance measures, and ethical considerations. Review all applicable Federal and Maryland telehealth practice regulations and policy expectations, including those related to the global pandemic emergency declaration. Offer an opportunity for interactive, real-time exploration of the application of telehealth skills, knowledge, and policy. Provide information about additional Federal and State resources for continued learning   PRESENTER: Jay Ostrowski, MA, LPC-S, NCC, ACS, BC-TMH, is an informative and entertaining trainer and expert in Telemental Health. As the CEO of Behavioral Health Innovation, he serves as a Telemental Health trainer and consultant for SAMHSA, HRSA, Universities, State governments and healthcare organizations. He’s the founder and Director of both the Telebehavioral Center of Excellence for the University of Virginia and the Board Certification in Telemental Health. He's created 9 peer-reviewed telemental health courses and designed/developed 12 telehealth software platforms to date, including Adaptive Telehealth, the most versatile telehealth software on the market. As a research partner with Harvard Medical School, Jay keeps up with the changing state license requirements for 8 healthcare professions across all US States and DC. He also serves as the go-to person for the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center for Telemental Health providing Telebehavioral Health training and consultations. You can connect with Jay Ostrowski on LinkedIn or through any of the above organizations.   This webinar is provided in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Health Behavioral Health Administration, Central East Addiction Technology Transfer Center and Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center.   

The YouTube Channel of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC. Features recorded webinars presented by the three Great Lakes projects, organized in playlists specific to each project. Topic-specific webinars are also organized in specific playlists.

The Mid-America Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) and Mid-America Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) are conducting a study on the use of virtual behavioral health services during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We ask that you complete this survey on behalf of the TTC Network because we wish to hear your perspectives on this issue. If you choose to participate in this voluntary study, please fill out the following survey developed by the Great Lakes ATTC/MHTTC to gain a better understanding of a) how telehealth is being used during the evolving pandemic, b) its benefits, c) its problems, and d) projected use after the pandemic. Link to survey (you may need to cut and paste into your browser): https://redcap.ictr.wisc.edu/surveys/?s=3TTNTF7DL3  To receive a copy of the survey results for your state, please provide your email at the end of the survey. Survey results will also be available at the following websites:  Mid-America ATTC: https://attcnetwork.org/centers/mid-america-attc/home Mid-America MHTTC: https://mhttcnetwork.org/centers/mid-america-mhttc/home Great Lakes ATTC: https://attcnetwork.org/centers/great-lakes-attc/home  Please contact Todd Molfenter at [email protected] if you have any questions. 

With the rapid onset of the public health emergency, COVID-19, the use of technology and social media by behavioral health practitioners, for personal and professional purposes, has increased dramatically. As such, ethical and practice issues, like self-disclosure in postings, unintentional boundary crossings and violations, privacy and security issues, and social media concerns, reflect just some of the new dilemmas that providers face today. Therefore, developing ethical competency and proficiency regarding use of technology and social media given this rapid virtualization are more important than ever before in today’s virtual world. This 90-minute webinar will provide an overview of common ethical dilemmas that behavioral health providers face related to technology, such as social network sites, videoconferencing, web-based search engines, blogs, online practitioners’ reviews, etc. Case scenarios will be used to highlight these dilemmas and encourage discussions among participants related to: 1) the use of social networking sites by clinical supervisors, providers, and clients; 2) posting comments or pictures online that may violate privacy and security or disparage the profession; 3) emailing, texting and utilizing video conferencing with clients; 4) conducting Internet searches on clients; 5) social media policy dos and don’ts from practitioner and organizational perspectives; and 6) recent rulings and new state laws that may impact an organization's social media policy for employees.   Learning Objectives: At the end of this training, participants will be able to: Name three ethical concerns related to the use of technology and social media Discuss two elements that behavioral health providers must consider before posting content on-line Recall three social media policy issues that may put organizations at risk if not addressed appropriately Identify two concerns providers must keep in mind when addressing critical online reviews by clients    

This document provides clinicians/counselors useful tips based on guidelines for delivering services virtually.  

April 30th, 2020- "What Healthcare Providers Need to know about Telehealth Laws and COVID-19 HIPAA Guidelines" (PDF). This webinar will provide a brief overview of telehealth laws from federal and state levels.     Objectives: · The necessity of identifying and explaining COVID-19 HIPAA emergency compliance laws for healthcare organizations · To identify types of technology that can be used during the COVID-19 Pandemic · To be familiar with state Medicaid and Medicare telehealth laws and fees for services according to HIPAA guidelines during the COVID-19 Pandemic · Participants will identify potential ethical and treatment dilemmas that can impact client care and solutions to remedy problems · HIPAA compliant technology and documentation that is needed to implement an effective HIPAA telehealth program Presenter:  Dr. Lucy R. Cannon, LCSW, CCDP-D, MATS Lucy R. Cannon is the CEO/Owner of LEJ Behavioral Health Services, LLC, a training and consulting company in Metropolitan Atlanta. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the states of Georgia and Alabama. She has the following certifications; CCDP-D, ICCDPD, and MATS.Dr. Cannon has been a clinician, supervisor, director, and consultant of mental health and co-occurring disorders programs in inpatient and outpatient healthcare organizations and psychiatric hospitals in various states in the United States. She is an Adjunct Professor at Clark Atlanta University School of Social Work.She serves on various healthcare organizations boards of directors and advisory boards.    

Staying in Touch: Using Caring Contacts to Sustain Connections with Your Clients is an online curriculum that describes a low-threshold, Caring Contacts intervention designed to help providers reduce client self-harm, increase feelings of self-efficacy, and fill treatment gaps due to health disparities or other challenges. A Caring Contact is a personalized written form of practitioner outreach to individual clients that expresses care and concern for their wellbeing. This simple, customizable intervention can be implemented at a distance during times of stress and isolation, making it a particularly useful addition to telehealth practices. This curriculum: is self-paced, with expected completion time of less than an hour; outlines the scientific support for this approach to reduce client isolation and potential self-harm; focuses, in part, on special circumstances and populations that can be hard to engage and retain in care; and includes concrete examples of Caring Contacts, as well as modifiable templates that can be downloaded and adapted for any organization’s use.   Additional Resources Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SAMHSA). Features information, tools, training, and more. CAMS-Care: Preventing Suicide. Training and certification for the CAMS suicide prevention assessment, intervention and treatment.  Now Matters Now (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention). Personal stories and research-based ways (DBT, e.g.) for managing suicidal thoughts and emotions.   

Chicago Street Outreach & Linkage to OUD Care During a Pandemic A case example of collaboration and innovation to reach vulnerable populations with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) during COVID-19. Recorded May 18th, 2020 Presented By: Elizabeth Salisbury, MD, MPH; Sarah Messmer, MD; Nicole Gastala, MD; Stephan Koruba, NP During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals who use opioids may be at high risk for withdrawal and/or overdose because of lack of income, disrupted drug markets, limited access to harm reduction services, and even more limited access to treatment services. This webinar will review the changes in regulation around buprenorphine initiation during this national emergency, the loosening of telehealth requirements, and provide a case example of how one street outreach team has partnered with a community-based clinic to allow individuals who are experiencing homelessness to receive access to buprenorphine treatment during the national emergency.     Transcript_Chicago Street Outreach & OUD Care During Pandemic_05_18_20.pdf

Recorded May 5th, 2020 Panelists: Danis Russell Jeff Coady Kwame Gyasi Jeanne Pulvermacher Dave Gomel Tom Wright Judi Jobe Michelle DeRosso   Transcript_Region 5: Supporting Behavioral Health Programs & Personnel During COVID-19

As COVID-19 has progressed in many of our communities, several questions have been brought to the attention of the Region 7 Mid-America Addiction Technology Transfer Center (Mid-America ATTC). The goal of this FAQ is to provide practical answers to these recurring questions that may result in immediate action. Mid-America ATTC will update this list monthly at minimum, until updates subside.  

The recent COVID-19 health pandemic has accelerated the implementation of behavioral health services via remote technology, including telephone and video conferencing. The following is an implementation framework for behavioral health care providers that guides organizational leadership through short term practical steps for implementation of  remote services via technology while including successful long-term strategies for sustaining telehealth services.