The Center of Expertise for Online Training provides training to help nonclinical health and human services workers in New York State serve people with, and at elevated risk for, HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and viral hepatitis.
In the health and human service fields, staff and peers in nonclinical roles (such as social workers and community educators) can reach underrepresented populations who may not interact with clinical staff, but they are sometimes underutilized because they lack training or knowledge. These workers need training opportunities that build their capacity to tackle the toughest issues related to HIV, STIs, and viral hepatitis prevention, testing, and care, while recognizing their demanding workloads and limited time. Nonclinical staff need flexible, on-demand training opportunities to help them implement best practices and evidence-based strategies.
Through the Center of Expertise for Online Training, CAI provides tailored online trainings and digital learning tools to help nonclinical workers in the health and human services fields build their capacity to provide services related to HIV, STI, and viral hepatitis prevention, testing, care, and support. These self-paced, interactive, on-demand modules are based on the needs of the field, and they provide a user-friendly, state-of-the-art learning experience.
Training topics available through our Center of Expertise for Online Training include health equity, motivational interviewing, preventing opioid overdose using Naloxone, engaging transgender clients in care, and best practices for providing remote services to clients. In alignment with adult learning principles, the sessions ask learners to assess their knowledge throughout the training, enabling participants to apply key concepts from the training immediately to their work.
The impact
Each year, approximately 3,000 people from 100 diverse provider sites receive training through this project. In post-training evaluations, the vast majority of participants report that that the project helped strengthen their ability to provide services. One peer worker said: “I felt this was very informative and even more effective than if I did this training in person. The extra resources and knowledge checks helped.” And one program director said: “I think this is an excellent training. The self-paced on-demand format will be extremely useful.”
Project funder and key partner
New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute
Leadership and contact
Michelle Hyland, CAI Director of Curriculum: aionline.contact@caiglobal.org