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Training Needs Assessment of Specialists Who Provide Care to People with Substance Use Disorders in Ukraine

Developed by Ukraine ITTC

Published on 9/30/2021

This article describes results of the first Training needs Assessment Study of Specialists Who Provide Care to People with Substance Use Disorders in Ukraine, which was perfomed by Ukrainian Psychiatric Association in 2017 – 2018.



BACKGROUND: In Ukraine, substance use disorders (SUDs) and rates of HIV infection are growing, the number of specialists does not meet country’s addiction treatment demands, and the quality of the care is often insufficient and does not cover the current treatment needs. A necessary first step to improving care for people with SUD in Ukraine is training needs assessment of addiction specialists. METHODS: A survey instrument, “Training Needs Survey for SUD Specialists,” developed by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, was translated and adapted by the Ukrainian team of researchers. All institutions and organizations that identified as providing treatment for SUDs received the survey. This article details the training needs of people working with patients with SUDs based on a representative sample of addiction specialists at different types of treatment organizations in all regions of Ukraine (except the occupied territories). RESULTS: Different specialty groups had different training needs based on the individual’s role in the treatment process. Addiction counselors expressed the greatest overall need for training. Compared to other specialists, the managers for social, educational, and psychological work with incarcerated individuals expressed a lower need for training. Training in medication-assisted therapy was not a high priority for respondents from any specialty group. CONCLUSIONS: The survey assessing the training needs of people working with patients with SUDs identified a wide range of interests that varied by the respondent’s role and profession. Existing training courses and programs often do not cover complex issues of interest to specialists or reflect a multidisciplinary approach. Therefore, current training courses require changes that align with modern concepts of addiction treatment. 



 


 

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The International Consortium of Universities for Drug Demand Reduction (ICUDDR) supports the rapid improvement in competencies and skills among current and future generations of addiction professionals to meet the increasing demand for prevention, treatment and public health services. Toward this end, the ICUDDR facilitates networking among universities to promote high quality education and training in the field of addiction prevention, treatment and public health interventions. It also pursues related applied addictions research, outreach and advocacy.

ICUDDR is funded by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). INL works to keep Americans safe at home by countering international crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad. INL helps countries deliver justice and fairness by strengthening their police, courts, and corrections systems. These efforts reduce the amount of crime and illegal drugs reaching U.S. shores.