HIV Education and Training

Clinical Education Initiative

The Clinical Education Initiative (CEI) enhances the capacity of New York’s diverse health care workforce to deliver clinical services to improve health outcomes related to HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), Hepatitis C (HCV), LGBT, and drug user health. CEI provides both in-person and the latest distance learning and digital health technologies to:

  1. provide progressive HIV, HCV, sexual health and drug user health education to clinicians;
  2. disseminate AIDS Institute clinical practice guidelines and other relevant materials;
  3. expand the base of providers able to diagnose and care for HIV, HCV, sexual health, and drug user health patients;
  4. and foster partnerships between community-based providers, HIV, HCV, sexual health, and drug user health specialists and professional organizations.

CEI collaborates with the Northeast Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center (NECA AETC), Physicians Research Network (PRN), American Conference for the Treatment of HIV (ACTHIV), and other educational and professional organizations in order to maximize local resources and reach providers throughout New York State with an emphasis on keeping pace with advances in science, policy, program development and emerging strategies to improve health outcomes.

Services and resources provided by CEI include:

  • CEI website  www.ceitraining.org – provides access to continuing and non-continuing education courses, overviews of popular topics, training, support, and other resources;
  • Statewide CEI Line (866-637-2342) - for access to case-based PEP/PrEP, sexual health, HIV, HCV and drug user health educational consultation;
  • CEI Virtual Patient – Virtual Patient (VP) is a digital simulation platform that integrates guidelines recommendations and interactive decision diagram tailored to specific patient cases. The interactive decision diagram is a step by step diagram that assists providers in their daily medical decision;
  • CEI Clinical Cards - convenient cards that provide clinically relevant information on HIV Testing, PEP, PrEP, HCV and sexual health treatment;
  • CEI social media – uses various social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube) to promote learning, engage with the CEI community, increase partnerships, and disseminate up to date health information on HIV, HCV, sexual health and drug user health.

CEI has four Centers of Excellence:

HIV Primary Care and Prevention Center – Mount Sinai Institute of Advance Medicine

The HIV and Primary Care and Prevention Center develops continuing education accredited curricula and clinical education interventions relating to HIV and primary care. Curricula and interventions are created with input obtained from HIV and primary care providers through ongoing clinical education needs assessments. This Center delivers a mix of in-person and distance learning clinical education programs (including tele-mentoring, webinar, webcasting, digital health and other emerging digital and distance education technologies) to ensure access to clinical expertise and training in all areas of the state, with a focus on areas designated as Health Provider Shortage Areas (HPSAs), rural areas and other areas where HIV or primary care providers are in short supply.

HCV and Drug User Health Center – Mount Sinai at St Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital

The HCV and Drug User Health (DUH) Center develops continuing education accredited curricula and clinical education interventions relating to HCV, HIV/HCV co-infection, HCV mono-infection, substance use disorders, addiction and pain management, and substance use and chronic disorders. Curricula and interventions are created with input obtained from HCV and drug user health care providers through ongoing clinical education needs assessments.

This Center delivers a mix of in-person and distance learning clinical education programs (including tele-consulting, webinar, webcasting, digital health and other emerging distance education technologies) to ensure access to clinical expertise and training in all areas of the state, with a focus on areas designated as Health Provider Shortage Areas (HPSAs), rural areas and other areas where drug user health or HCV providers are in short supply.

Sexual Health Center – University of Rochester Medical Center

The Sexual Health Center develops curricula and clinical education interventions relating to sexual health. Each curriculum and intervention are created with input obtained from sexual health care providers through ongoing clinical education needs assessments.

In order to ensure access to clinical expertise and training in all areas of the state, the Sexual Health Center delivers both in-person clinical education opportunities (which include intensive clinical preceptorships, an annual statewide Sexual Health conference and regional conferences) as well as distance learning opportunities (which include tele-mentoring, webinars, webcasting, digital health and other emerging distance education technologies). Through this combined approach, the Sexual Health Center can reach areas that are designated as Health Provider Shortage Areas (HPSAs), rural areas and other areas where sexual health treatment providers are in short supply.

Resource/Evaluation Center – University of Rochester Medical Center

The Resource Center enables CEI to employ the latest distance learning and tele-consulting technologies by staying abreast of the latest developments in distance learning modalities, adapting to ever changing platforms, and leading CEI into new technologies. The Resource Center also maintains the www.ceitraining.org website and all CEI digital technology tools, communicates via social media, provides an online registration system, issues continuing medical education credits, manages requests for training, maintains a provider database, maintains an electronic reporting system to track clinical education activities and evaluate overall impact of the program.

The Resource/Evaluation Center houses the statewide CEI Line (866-637-2342) which provides access to case-based PEP/PrEP, STD, HIV and HCV educational consultation in conjunction with all centers. 

Contact:

Beatrice Aladin, MD
Director, Clinical Education Initiative
Office of the Medical Director
beatrice.aladin@health.ny.gov

For more information:
http://www.ceitraining.org

HIV/STI/Viral Hepatitis Training Services

Non-physician health and human services providers require ongoing training to provide effective prevention, screening, care and support services for HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), hepatitis C (HCV) and to support LGBT/ TGNC health, and drug user health. HIV Education and Training Programs, within the AIDS Institute's Office of the Medical Director, implements four distinct initiatives to meet these needs.

  • Training Centers
  • Leadership Training Initiative
  • New York State Peer Certification Program
  • Health Equity Initiative

  Overall, these initiatives offer more than 400 training events annually in more than 100 different training curricula. These programs reach approximately 15,000 health and human services providers each year.  Emphasis is placed on keeping pace with advances in science, policy, program development and emerging strategies to improve health outcomes.  The program offers a comprehensive range of in-person trainings, webinars and other online trainings. Select courses are approved by the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services continuing education and training requirements for renewal of Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC)/Credentialed Prevention Program (CPP)/Credentialed Prevention Specialist (CPS) certification.

The latest HIV/STI/viral hepatitis training information is always available at: www.hivtrainingny.org

HIV/STI/Viral Hepatitis/LGBT/TGNC and Drug User Health Training Centers

 IMPORTANT NOTE: In response to New York On Pause, all in-person trainings have been replaced with distance learning trainings until further notice.

Training centers are funded under the HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Viral Hepatitis Training Services RFA for the five-year period of 2021-2026.  Following is the list of funded training centers with brief descriptions.

Regional Training Centers (RTC)

RTCs develop and deliver a mix of in-person training, webinars and online trainings on an array of topics related to HIV, STIs, viral hepatitis, LGBT/TGNC and drug user health for health and human services providers throughout New York State. The three RTCs are:

  • Cicatelli Associates, Inc. (CAI): Serving New York City and Mid-Hudson
  • SUNY Stony Brook/Center for Public Health Education (CPHE): Serving New York City and Long Island
  • University of Rochester/Center for Community Practice (CCP): Serving Upstate New York

Centers of Expertise (COE)

COEs develop advanced, topic-specific training curricula and deliver a mix of in-person trainings, webinars and online trainings throughout New York State. The eight COEs and the topics they address are:

  • AIDS Community Resources: Promoting Health for People Who Use Drugs (PWUD)
  • AIDS Community Resources: Opioid Overdose Prevention Training/Capacity Building
  • The Albany Damien Center: Expanding Employment Opportunities for People Living with HIV (PLWH)
  • The Family Center, Inc.: Addressing Health Outcomes of Older Adults Living with HIV
  • The Family Center, Inc.: HCV Mono-Infection and HIV/HCV Co-infection
  • Legal Action Center of the City of New York: Legal Issues Impacting People Living with HIV/STI/Viral Hepatitis
  • SUNY Buffalo/Institute on Trauma and Trauma Informed Care: Trauma Informed Care
  • University of Rochester: Promoting Health for LGBT/TGNC people

Online Training Center

Cicatelli Associates Inc. (CAI)

  • The Online Training Center develops interactive distance education trainings and digital learning tools for non-physician health and human services providers. They provide training to assist with provision of remote client services and assist the AIDS Institute with a variety of issues related to expanding the use of distance learning technologies and digital learning tools.

Peer Certification Academic Center (PCAC)

SUNY Stony Brook

  • The PCAC facilitates the formal certification process for the New York State Certified Peer Worker (CPW) in HIV, HCV, Harm Reduction and PrEP. They ensure that training requirements warrant certification and re-certification. They provide guidance and support during CPW certification and the online application process. The PCAC facilitates a Peer Review Board, which reviews all CPW applications. 

Leadership Training Institute (LTI) for HIV, HCV, Drug User Health and PrEP

 Cicatelli Associates, Inc. (CAI)

The LTI is responsible for recruiting, training and providing ongoing support for people who have shared lived experience with HIV, HCV, Harm Reduction, and PrEP to promote self-management and empowerment to strengthen the presence of the consumer voice within prevention, health care, and support services delivery systems and in the community.

New York State Certified Peer Worker Program in HIV, HCV, Harm Reduction, and PrEP

In response to recommendations included in the “Blueprint to End the AIDS Epidemic in New York State,” HIV Education and Training Programs in conjunction with an academic center offers a formal certification program to eligible Peer Workers. The program is comprised of four tracks: HIV; HCV; Harm Reduction; and PrEP Peer Workers. In order to be eligible for certification, a Peer Worker must: have lived experience related to the certification track, complete 90 hours of training, pass an online knowledge exam, successfully complete a supervised 500-hour practicum, agree to follow the New York State AIDS Institute Peer Worker Code of Ethics, and submit their completed application. A formal Peer Certification Review Board (represented statewide by a diverse group of Certified Peer Workers) reviews and approves submitted applications. The certificate is awarded by SUNY Stony Brook. The training required for certification is offered by HIV Education and Training Programs’ Regional Training Centers and Training Centers of Expertise. Individuals who receive their certification are also eligible to receive up to 32 college credits from Empire State College. As of July 1, 2021, the program has close to 240 Certified Peer Workers across New York State.

Health Equity Initiative 

The Health Equity Initiative is charged with implementing a range of education and training interventions to build the capacity of health and human services providers, health care facilities, and community-based organizations (CBOs) to employ a health equity framework in their work. Healthy People 2020 defines health equity as the “attainment of the highest level of health for all people” and health disparity as “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage.” Achieving health equity requires: understanding the larger social determinants of health; raising awareness about data indicating health disparities; recognizing the historical and social underpinnings of these disparities; engaging communities that have experienced health disparities in setting priorities for action; providing tools to help providers address unconscious bias; enhancing partnerships; supporting leadership development; and promoting change at the community level, organizational level, and individual provider level. The initiative makes available on www.hivtrainingny.org a list of health equity resources and an online Health Equity training.  The initiative offers networking sessions to help providers understand and address different social determinants of health. The initiative will develop educational materials for health and human services providers in a variety of formats.

Contact:

Richard Cotroneo, MA
Director, HIV Education and Training Programs
Office of the Medical Director
(518) 474-3045
richard.cotroneo@health.ny.gov

For more information:
www.hivtrainingny.org

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Health NY Disease Intervention Training Center

The Health NY Disease Intervention Training Center (DITC) is one of four regional Training Centers funded nationally by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the Disease Intervention Training Center (DITC) Collaborative (2020-2024).

The DITC delivers both nationally standardized intensive Partner Services training, as well as disease intervention specialist workforce assessment, development, and evaluation. DITC initiatives include public health detailing, cross training for public health response/outbreaks, and expanded roles for disease intervention specialists in linkage to care. More details will be forthcoming and updated here with a link to additional information.

The DITC currently offers COVID-19 Virtual Skills-Based Training for Case Investigation and Contact Tracing. The goal of the program is to rapidly and effectively train staff to support public health systems throughout the United States as they mobilize to address COVID-19. This program capitalizes on the experience of the National Network DITC member regional training centers in rapidly mobilizing resources to develop a robust outbreak response effort https://www.nnditc.org/.

Health NY DITC covers states and territories that include Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Maryland, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Contact:

Cord Stone, Ed.D., MPA
Director, Health NY Disease Intervention Training Center
Deputy Director, Office of Sexual Health and Epidemiology
(518) 474-3598
Cord.Stone@health.ny.gov

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Northeast Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center Oral Health Regional Resource Center (AETC)

The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute recognizes the importance of oral health care delivery as an integral component of quality HIV primary care. Under contract with the Northeast Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center (NECA AETC) at Columbia University, the AIDS Institute serves as the Oral Health Regional Resource Center (OHRRC) for the NECA AETC.

To address the varied needs and services associated with dental care in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, the AIDS Institute offers the following:

Clinical Practice Guidelines 

Oral Health Care for People with HIV Infection.  These guidelines are intended to provide dentists and other primary care team members with important clinical information to address the oral health needs of HIV patients in a multidisciplinary manner.

Educational Presentations

The NECA AETC OHRRC offers specialized trainings in HIV oral health care to meet specific agency and individual needs of dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants and primary care clinicians while providing professional development credits at no cost to the participants. Training is available in a variety of formats ranging from didactic presentations and webinars to case presentations, clinical consultations, and customized preceptorships. Available educational modules include but are not limited to the following: http://necaaetc.org/

  • diagnosis and management of common oral lesions
  • oral health and substance use
  • caries risk assessment
  • integration of oral health into primary care

Technical Assistance

Technical assistance is available to oral health providers and administrators to assist in the development of new or expanded dental services, including HIV testing in the dental chair, that are responsive to the needs of people living with HIV.

Contact:

Laura O’Shea
Syracuse Regional Office
Phone: (315) 477-8124
laura.oshea@health.ny.gov

For more information: http://www.necaaetc.org

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