Recognizing the need for knowledgable and skilled tobacco treatment providers, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, in partnership with the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program, has developed and is in the process of implementing a training and certification program for persons who deliver tobacco treatment services at the local community health level. To help define and professionalize this new category of specialist, identifed as a Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS), formative research was undertaken to delineate TTS core competencies and behaviors, develop evidence-based standards of practice, and formulate a code of ethics. Based on the identified core competencies, a two-day Basic Skills course and a six-day intensive Core Certification course were developed and piloted. An extensive post-training evaluation process to assess tobacco treatment knowledge and counseling skills is reqired of all persons seeking TTS certification in the State of Massachusetts.
This poster will describe the Basic Skills and Core Certification courses. It will also discuss the certification process for persons completing core training, including eligibility requirements, the evaluation process leading to certification, and continuing education requirements necessary to maintain certification. In addition, professional standards of practice, TTS core competencies and the code of ethics will be presented.
The development of this training and certification program is being supported by funding from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Tobacco Control Program.
Learning Objectives: As a result of reading this poster, the learner will be able to: 1. Delineate core competencies required of a Tobacco Treatment Specialist 2. Discuss standards of practice as related to the delivery of effective tobbaco treatment services 3. Describe the training and certification process for persons wishing to become a certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist in the state of Massachusetts
Keywords: Certification, Tobacco
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.