About the Training Program
Partner Services and Program Support Training is designed for staff members involved in STD/HIV testing, counseling, partner notification, and referral services. Our offerings are for federal, state and local public health professionals, especially those working in STD/HIV prevention programs. Health care professionals may increase their knowledge and skills in Interviewing, Counseling, Field Safety, Partner Management, and Social Marketing.
Course Descriptions
Partner Services
Program Support
Introduction to Sexually Transmitted Disease Intervention (ISTDI)
This 9-day course is designed for full-time partner services providers (e.g., disease intervention specialists). It emphasizes the development of skills and techniques for interviewing patients in order to identify sex partners and social contacts for referral to medical evaluation. It also focuses on how to help patients manage current infection and prevent future ones. Participants practice communication, problem solving, and motivation skills in role-plays, and receive feedback from the instructor. The course includes an introduction to visual case analysis for syphilis, case management, and the Lot System. Prior to attending this course, participants will need to successfully complete the CDC "2006 Employee Development Guide".
View Course Outlines
Day 1
- Welcome and Introduction to Training
- Pre-Training Assessment
- History of STDs & Disease Intervention and DIS Skills Review
- STD Interview Format Demonstration Video
- Communication Skills
- Communicating About Sex
* Homework Assignment: Case Management Definitions
Day 2
- Cultural Competency
- Assertiveness
- Problem Solving
- Case Management: POPRCRC (Homework Review: Case Management Definitions)
* Homework Assignment: Interview Period Exercise
Day 3
- Homework Review: Interview Period Exercise
- Pre-Interview Analysis (POPRCRC)
- Interview Format: Introduction and Patient Assessment- Patient Concerns
- Interview Format: Patient Assessment- Social History
- Interview Format: Patient Assessment- Medical History/Disease Comprehension
Day 4
- Interview Format: Disease Intervention- Partner Elicitation
- Overview, Open-Ended Questions, and Partner Referral Methods
- Problem Solving and Anatomy of a Problem
- Viewer’s Guide, Video Clip and Role Plays
- Interview Format: Disease Intervention- Risk Reduction
* Homework Assignment: Critical Period Exercise
Day 5
- Homework Review: Critical Period Exercise
- Interview Format: Conclusion
- Original Interview: Gina (POPRCRC)
- Post-Interview Analysis (POPRCRC)
Day 6
- Original Interview- Dave Hill (POPRCRC)
- Visual Case Analysis
- Referral of Sex Partners: Field Activities (POPRCRC)
* Homework Assignment: Cluster and Re-Interviews- Articles and Terms
Day 7
- Cluster Interviews- Hal Green (POPRCRC) (Homework Review: Cluster Interviews)
- Re-Interview- Gina White (POPRCRC) (Homework Review: Re-Interviews)
- Case Closure (POPRCRC)
* Homework Assignment: Post-Training Assessment
Day 8
- STD Interview Format Role Plays
- Co-Infected Cases
- Community Resources and Networking
Day 9
- Action Plans
- Course Review
- Evaluation and Training
- Closing and Certification
- Post-Training Assessment
Fundamentals of Sexually Transmitted Disease Intervention (Fund of ISTDI)
This 5-day course designed for counselors, managers of staff who conduct partner services, public health nurses, or other prevention workers who need comprehensive partner service skills. Focusing on gonorrhea and chlamydia, this class will cover interview periods, communication, assertiveness, problem solving, the interview format, field investigations, partner notification and referral, and a brief overview of case management. This course does not provide in-depth syphilis case management or visual case analysis. Prior to attending this course, participants will need to successfully complete selected portions of the CDC "2006 Employee Development Guide".
View Course Outlines
Day 1
- Welcome and Introduction to Training
- Abbreviated History of STDs and Disease Intervention
- Modified Knowledge Assessment
- Overview of Case Management Terms
- STD Interview Format Demonstration Video
- Interview Period Computation
Day 2
- Communication Skills
- Communicating About Sex
- Cultural Competency
- Assertiveness
- Problem Solving
Day 3
- Overview of the Interviewing Format
- Interview Format: Introduction and Patient Assessment–Patient Concerns
- Interview Format: Social History
- Interview Format: Medical History/Disease Comprehension
- Interview Format: Partner Elicitation
Day 4
- Interview Format: Risk Reduction
- Interview Format: Conclusion
- Review of the Interview Format
- Guidelines for Practice Session and Feedback
- Practice Session # 1 - Gonorrhea
- Practice Session # 2 - Chlamydia
- Field Investigation and Notification
- Partner Referral Techniques
- Partner Referral Practice Session
- Case studies - Safety
Day 5
- Practice Session # 3 - Chlamydia
- Practice Session # 4 – Gonorrhea
- Course Review
- Evaluation of Training and Post Training Assessments
HIV Partner Counseling and Referral Services (PCRS)
This 3-day course is a skills-based training designed for staff in both prevention and care programs working with people living with HIV. This course provides participants with the knowledge and skills to conduct partner counseling, elicitation, and field-oriented HIV partner notification. Participants also role-play situations likely to be encountered during an HIV field investigation. Additionally, the course will provide a perspective on local PCRS considerations. A prerequisite for this course is the successful completion of the course Fundamentals of Prevention Counseling.
View Course Outlines
Day 1
- Welcome/Introductions/Overviews/Objectives
- Benefits and Concerns of PCRS Concepts
- Essential Concepts of PCRS
- Five Steps for Working with Clients:
- Transition
- Partner Referral Options
Day 2
- Five Steps for Working with Clients:
- Elicitation
- Referral Plan and Coaching
- Summary
- Practice Sessions
Day 3
- Working with Partners: Investigative Activities
- Working with Partners:
- Notification
- Counseling, Test Decision, Links to Services, Follow-up
- Local Q & A: Laws and Practices
- Course Summary
Using Social Networks: A Recruitment Strategy for Counseling, Testing and Referral (SNS)
The goals of this 2 to 3-day training are to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of how to utilize social networks as a recruitment strategy for Counseling, Testing and Referral (CTR) and to develop knowledge and skills needed to successfully implement SNS for CTR in HIV/STD prevention agencies. SNS allows agencies to reach highest-risk persons; hard-to-reach communities and HIV infected individuals who are unaware of their status by building on existing relationships of trust, in turn creating positive responses to HIV testing messages. At the end of the training, participants will be able to differentiate SNS from other activities, explain the four phases of the SNS, describe the benefits of SNS to reach people at high risk for infection, and develop a plan for implementation.
Recommended participants: staff of agencies interested in implementing (recommend 1 project manager/coordinator and 1 implementation staff member), and state contract monitoring and/or technical assistance staff and one person who is responsible for monitoring and/or providing technical assistance.
STD Program Management Training
This course is designed to provide new STD program managers with a solid foundation in the components of disease prevention and the essential competencies needed to manage more effective and comprehensive STD prevention and control programs. Topics covered include the principles of STD prevention and control; program management; cultural competence; surveillance and epidemiology; forms, reporting, and data management; disease intervention services; health education, communication, and behavioral interventions; outbreak response; STD clinical and laboratory services; program collaboration and service integration (PCSI); and authentic case studies that incorporate decision-making and problem-solving skills critical to STD program management.
Additional Course Offerings
Chlamydia Partner Management for Family Planning Providers
This 1-day course assists family planning staff to facilitate a client-centered discussion of Chlamydia infection and appropriately answer client concerns around partners. Discussion of key client motivators in explaining the benefits of partner referral to clients is addressed and also features information about all sex partner notification options, with an emphasis on client self-referral of partners for examination and treatment.
Partner Services and Referral for Health Care Professionals
The 1 to 3-day course is designed for clinicians and other health care professionals who test, counsel, treat clients with STDs and have minimal or no access to partner services provider (e.g., disease intervention specialists). Participants will be able to conduct an Interview/Counseling sessions. Use patient motivators to facilitate compliance. Elicit essential partner locating and identifying information and coach patient self-referrals.
Training/Operations for Safety Around Field Encounters (TOPSAFE)
This 2-day interactive skill-building course is for public health professionals who are involved in fieldwork, such as full-time partner services providers (e.g., disease intervention specialists) or community outreach workers. Participants experience situations associated with basic safety principles, interpersonal communications, and problem solving. This course also is available in a self-study format.
A Day on the Trail of STDs in Hypothetica County
This computer-based training CD-ROM program is designed for entry-level partner services providers (e.g., disease intervention specialists) to strengthen field investigation skills. In this multimedia course, the trainee works for a day at a simulated STD office-attending training, assigning field priorities and conducting partner notification and referral activities. Click here to see short demonstrations of this simulated training program.
Social Marketing
This introductory course provides the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively apply the principles and techniques of social marketing to local and regional STD/HIV prevention, testing and treatment activities. Content includes analysis of case studies, experiential exercises and lecture. The course is usually tailored to local program needs, and can be delivered in half-day or two-day formats.
Staff and Contacts
Robert J. Reed
Bureau Director, NYS DOH BSTDPE
Principal Investigator, NYS PTC
Rosalind Thomas, MPH
Research Scientist/ Assistant Bureau Director
NYS PTC Program Development and Planning
(518) 474-3598
rpt01@health.state.ny.us
Sue Anne Payette, MS
NYS PTC Coordinator
(518) 474-1692
sxp04@health.state.ny.us
Charlene Cutting
NYS PTC Registration/Administration
(518) 474-1692
cic01@health.state.ny.us
Paul Reyes
Partner Services NYS PTC Training Instructor
(518) 474-1692
par12@health.state.ny.us
Lisa Papa, MSES
Partner Services NYS PTC Training Instructor
(518) 474-1692
lcp02@health.state.ny.us
Alison Muse, MPH
Research Scientist/Assistant Bureau Director
NYS PTC Evaluation
(518) 474-3598
atg01@health.state.ny.us
