Problem gambling workforce

Abacus is contracted by the Ministry of Health to develop the Problem Gambling Treatment (PG) workforce and has been involved in developing the minimum competencies for PG practitioners and alignment of these with Alcohol and other drug (AOD), and Smoking Cessation (SC) competencies. Abacus provides ongoing training to most of the PG workforce contracted by the Ministry of Health.

Problem gambling issues may arise in any health or social setting, and Abacus can provide short programmes, delivered if required on-site, tailored to all skill levels, and trainee time constraints. These programmes may include:

• Problem gambling continuum: who is at risk, co-occurring issues, profiles of those affected
• Signs and symptoms of problem gambling and those affected by another’s gambling
• Screening and effective enquiring about problem gambling issues (gambler and affected family/whanau members)
• Brief interventions with those affected by gambling
• Referral options

Delivery of the training will be provided at an appropriate level by experienced registered mental health professionals, with client examples providing illustration of key points. An NZQA registered certificate of attendance will be provided upon completion.

Mental Health workforce

Abacus comprises a team of highly qualified and experienced practising health professionals that have many years experience in health training. It has the ability to develop systems, supervise, and provide training across a wide range of mental health topics. Training provided is allied to competencies and to requirements of employers, and to this end the programme can be designed to address specific issues of interest while acknowledging time constraints.

Examples of topics that a programme may include are:

• Identifying/screening for mental health and impacting lifestyle issues
• Brief interventions for substance use disorders in an integrative approach
• Brief interventions for problem gambling in an integrative approach
• When to refer, and establishing case management processes
• Identifying and addressing anxiety conditions
• Identifying and addressing depression conditions
• Suicide risk assessment and interventions
• Supervision – getting the most out of this support
• DSM-IV assessments: what is the paradigm used; assessments using an Axis approach; draft DSM-V proposals and how these will affect assessments
• Motivational Interviewing approaches for establishing rapport with patients and enhancing treatment compliance

Delivery of the training will be provided by experienced registered mental health professionals, with client examples providing illustration of key points. An NZQA registered certificate of attendance will be provided upon completion.

Depression

Depression is a very common mental health condition, and risk is increased substantially after subsequent episodes. Although there are a range of conditions with depression (e.g. dysthymic disorder, bipolar disorder, or substance-induced mood disorder) the most common is major depressive disorder. Although risk may increase if close relatives have the condition, in many cases it will develop from behaviour or from environmental causes. Major depression can result in negative thoughts, suicidal ideation, weight change, concentration deficits and loss of energy. These can impact upon clients’ wellbeing, their ability to perform normal work and obligations, and their ability to change other harmful behaviours, such as addictions.

However, there are recognised brief interventions that can lift depressive symptoms and reduce dysphoria, risk of harm, and facilitate better outcomes for those affected by mild, moderate or severe depression.

Abacus offers a half-day or more intensive full day, evidence based training programme on depressions that will cover:

• Risk criteria
• Signs and symptoms
• Screening and assessment
• Brief interventions
• Building the client’s owwn resources to address depression
• Referral resources and handout resources
• Interactive exercises

Delivery of the training will be provided by experienced registered mental health professionals, with client examples providing illustration of key points. An NZQA registered certificate of attendance will be provided upon completion.

Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are common, and comprise a wide range of conditions where the stress and worry have increased to where they are interfering with the person’s wellbeing and life. They include generalised anxiety disorder, panic attacks, agoraphobia, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and often co-occur with other mental health conditions, such as depression or another anxiety issue (e.g. phobia and generalised anxiety). Anxiety may not be addressed by the person because they assume it’s normal for them, may think its depression, or may focus on the physical discomfort the anxiety causes. It may endure, and lead to other problems, such as addictions. The identification of anxiety disorders may improve the wellbeing of clients, reduce risk for self harm, reduce risk for development of other problems, and improve outcomes for treatment of other conditions.

Abacus offers a half-day or more intensive full day, evidence based training programme on anxiety conditions that will cover:

• Risk criteria
• Signs and symptoms
• Screening and assessment
• Brief interventions
• Building the client’s own resources to address anxiety
• Referral resources and handout resources
• Interactive exercises

Delivery of the training will be provided by experienced registered mental health professionals, with client examples providing illustration of key points. An NZQA registered certificate of attendance will be provided upon completion.

Alcohol and other drugs (AOD) workforce

Abacus comprises a team of highly qualified and experienced practising health professionals that have many years experience in AOD training. It has the ability to develop systems, supervise, and provide training across a wide range of AOD topics. Training provided is allied to competencies and to requirements of employers, and to this end the programme can be designed to address specific issues of interest while acknowledging time constraints.

Examples of topics that a programme may include are:

• Screening for AOD issues and providing feedback effectively and appropriately
• Identifying/screening for co-occurring mental health and AOD impacting lifestyle issues
• Brief interventions for substance use disorders
• Brief interventions for co-occurring conditions in an integrative approach
• Identifying and addressing moderate to severe anxiety conditions
• Identifying and addressing moderate to severe depression conditions
• When to refer, and establishing case management processes
• Suicide risk assessment and interventions
• Supervision – getting the most out of this support
• DSM-IV assessments: what is the paradigm used; assessments using Axis approach; draft DSM-V proposals and how these will affect assessments
• Motivational Interviewing approaches for establishing rapport with clients and enhancing treatment compliance
• CBT approaches to address distorted perceptions and to develop client coping skills

Delivery of the training will be provided by experienced registered mental health/AOD professionals, with client examples providing illustration of key points. An NZQA registered certificate of attendance will be provided upon completion.

Smoking Cessation workforce

Abacus comprises a team of highly qualified and experienced practising health professionals that have many years experience in health training. It has the ability to provide training, supervise, and develop systems across a wide range of health and addiction topics, including Smoking Cessation. Training provided is allied to the ABC approach, Smoking Cessation competencies and to requirements of employer, and to this end the programme can be designed to address specific issues of interest and time constraints.

Examples of training could include:

• Evidence for health costs of smoking including 2nd hand smoking
• Target populations
• Increasing attempts and improving success of cessation
• Promoting smoking cessation: ABC
• Providing evidence: benefits of smoking cessation
• NRT – options (including Quitcard) and effectiveness
• Other pharmacotherapy supports
• Smoking cessation community supports
• How best to provide ABC
• Exercises - ABC

Delivery of the training will be provided by experienced, registered health professionals. An NZQA registered certificate of attendance will be provided upon completion.

Integrated training

Abacus comprises a team of highly qualified and experienced practising health professionals that have many years experience in addictions and other health training. It has the ability to develop systems, supervise, and provide training across a wide range of health topics.

People with addiction conditions are often affected by other mental health conditions. Until recently, the approach most likely to be adopted was to address either the mental health condition or the addiction, depending upon the setting the person presented to for help. There is a growing awareness that health professionals should make ‘every door the right door’ where there are co-existing or co-occurring mental health and addiction issues. This training addresses the best practice of providing an integrated approach to the issues, from the perspective of either mental health treatment, or addiction treatment providers.

Training provided is allied to competencies and to requirements of employers, and to this end the programme can be designed to address specific issues of interest while acknowledging time constraints.

Examples of topics that a programme may include are:

• What are the prevalence rates of mental health conditions and addictions?
• Signs and symptoms of co-occurring addiction and other mental health conditions
• Screening for addictions and commonly occurring mental health conditions
• Who to treat and who to refer
• Suicidal ideation risk and management
• Case management with clients/patients attending multiple services
• Supervision
• Working with clients/patients with addiction and co-occurring mental health conditions
• Exercises and role plays

Delivery of the training will be provided by experienced, registered health professionals. An NZQA registered certificate of attendance will be provided upon completion.