The Texas Occupations Code, Section 504.205 (formerly House Bill 767 from the 77th Legislative session) requires that licensed chemical dependency counselors (LCDCs) receive six hours of continuing-education credits during each two-year licensing period related to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C, and sexually transmitted diseases (STD), effective September 1, 2001. This bill also required the Texas Commission on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (TCADA) to recognize, prepare, or administer a training component to satisfy this requirement.
As a result, TCADA contracted with Workers Assistance Program-Texas HIV Connection to create a six-hour course specifically focusing on hepatitis C knowledge and skills necessary for substance abuse counselors to address this issue with their clients. This course has been completed and LCDCs are currently being trained around the state. It has been reviewed by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), the clinical director of TCADA, as well as other selected experts in the field to ensure that the information is current, appropriate, and meets the requirements of the legislation. The newly created course is entitled Hepatitis C: Knowledge and Skills for LCDCs.
LCDCs are not required to take this particular course. However, it is being made available at no charge to staff in substance abuse settings funded by TCADA. Other substance abuse staff who could not otherwise receive and/or pay for the training may attend the trainings, although priority is given to funded staff.
To meet the requirements of the Texas Occupations Code, LCDCs do not have to have six hours in each of the three topics, nor have training in all three topics, in each two-year period. The hepatitis C course was merely created as a result of the increase in cases of hepatitis C in substance abuse settings and the lack of knowledge in the substance abuse field about the virus. Training is available related to HIV and STDs, also.
Another training, accepted by TCADA, that meets the requirements is the DSHS-approved Prevention Counseling and Partner Elicitation course, which presently includes HCV knowledge and skills.
For more information on hepatitis C training for LCDCs, contact:
The Texas HIV Connection
3410 Far West Blvd. #250
Austin, Texas 78731
(512)-343-9595 -Phone
(512)-372-8816-Fax
msowder@hivconnection.org
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