Archives: <span>Courses</span>

The Restless Mind: Finding Peace and Support in a Busy World

Worry and distress are feelings that many people feel occasionally when faced with potential harm.  Others may live with more chronic anxiety about upcoming events in their lives by feeling tension and ongoing nervousness. Anxiety can cause distress and un-ease in dealing with everyday life.  Many different ways exist to gain more ease, improve anxious feelings and/or even prevent anxiety. 

Learning Outcomes:

  • Review the definitions of anxiety, stress, and trauma.
  • Examine the symptoms of anxiety including the impact of anxiety on health and the factors that can affect stress.
  • Identify assessment and screening tools for anxiety with linking referral resources for support and treatment
  • Evaluate the importance of self-care and how to use self-care tips to mediate stress.

Target Audience:  Allied Health Professionals, Mental Health Professionals, Public Health Professionals

Tier(s) and Competency Domain(s):  Tier I- Analytical/ Assessment Skills, Communication Skills; Tier II- Analytical/Assessment Skills, Communication Skills

Duration:  ~1.5 hours

Continuing Education Information: 1.5 Category 1 CHES Credits, 1.5 Continuing Competency

Format:  Web-based Training, Self-Study

Webinar Recorded:  July 12, 2019

Author(s) and Presenter(s):  Mestisa C. Gass, PsyD ,​Program Director of Mental Health America of Hawai‘i

Dr. Mestisa C. Gass, PsyD, is the Program Director for Mental Health America of Hawaii. She graduated with a Master’s and Doctorate degree, in Clinical Psychology, from Argosy University. Her education and experience has been focused on diverse populations including inpatient acute adolescent care, community mental health, and military mental health. Her training and work has emphasized diversity and trauma focused care. She is a certified trainer for the MHAH’s Youth Suicide and Bullying Prevention Training for Trainers (T4T) curriculum. She worked as a clinician/therapist for the past fifteen years in the South and now in Hawaii. She has been in Hawaii since 2006, being originally from the Appalachian Mountains. She is passionate about bringing education, support, and resources to all communities, especially rural areas like those in which she was raised.

Policy Approaches to Prevent Vaping Among Youth

Join our panel of three policy experts from Arizona, California, and Hawaii to compare the policy approaches and experiences of each state in addressing e-cigarette use among youth.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Discuss legislative initiatives at the state and local level that have been proposed to address e-cigarette use among youth.
  • Identify challenges to passing policies that limit e-cigarette use among youth.
  • Share strategies to increase success at passing policies that address e-cigarette use.

Target Audience: Health Professionals, Public Health Professionals

Tier(s) and Competency Domain(s): Tier 1- Policy Development/Program Planning Skills, Community Dimensions of Practice Skills; Tier 2- Policy Development/Program Planning Skills, Community Dimensions of Practice Skills; Tier 3- Policy Development/Program Planning Skills, Community Dimensions of Practice Skills

Duration: ~ 1 hour

Continuing Education Information:  1.0 CHES

Format:  Web-based Training, Self-study

Created/Updated:  July 10, 2019

Author(s)/Presenter(s):  Heather Carter, Arizona State Senator, Tim Gibbs, American Cancer Society, Trish La Chica, Hawaii Public Health Institute

Professional Ethics Guiding Decision-Making In Dementia Care

Professional ethics can be a code of principles and well as represent how healthcare professionals handle their conduct with best standards and informed decisions.  Professional ethics can be viewed as the best benefit for both the health professional and the client and especially for dementia clients. There are good guiding principles to utilize while engaging in the process of sound ethical decision making.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Examine what is meant by professional ethics for healthcare professionals
  2. Discuss guiding principles and examples of good ethical decision making
  3. Review recommendations in dealing with dementia clients with professional ethics and sound ethical decision making outcomes

Continuing Education Information: 1.5 CHES


Effective Advocacy in the Context of Childhood Obesity Prevention

Public health advocacy includes promoting education, processes and legislation that are designed to improve the general health of people living within a defined geographical location. The process of advocacy also involves identifying potential threats to the health of people living in the community and communicating to others to the seriousness of those threats. This training will help you develop advocacy skills and strategies that can be used in community advocacy.  Examples are presented in the context of childhood obesity prevention.

Learning Objectives:

  • Explain when and why advocacy is necessary.
  • Develop a plan for advocacy.
  • Explore ways to display data to inform policy development, community engagement, and collaboration.

Learning Outcome:

  • Advocate for policies, interventions, or resources to benefit the public health.

Target Audience: Health Professionals, Community Health Workers, Dietitians, Health Educators

Duration: ~ 1 hour

Continuing Education Information: 1.0 Category 1 CHES Credits, 1.0 Continuing Competency

CHES Provider number:  99036

Disclosures:  The planners, reviewers, and authors have no declared conflicts of interest 

Format: Web-based training, Self Study

Created/Updated: 8/2019

Created by:  Allison Root, MS, RD

Harm Reduction: A Public Health Approach to Opioid Use Disorder

This course provides an overview of opioid use disorder and the use of harm reduction strategies as a public health approach to mitigate the risk and stigma associated with opioid use. This training is brought to you by the Western Region Public Health Training Center in collaboration with Sonoran Prevention Works, a comprehensive harm reduction organization based in Arizona that combines direct service, legislative advocacy, and capacity building to create stronger, healthier communities for people made vulnerable by substance use. 

This course consists of 5 modules that provide an overview of opioid use disorder and the use of harm reduction strategies to mitigate the risk and stigma associated with opioid use.

Module 1: Introduction to Opioid Use Disorder

We will explain opioid use disorder in the context of the social-ecological model, describe the social determinants of health and mental health factors that influence opioid use disorder, and describe the root causes of the current opioid crisis in the United States.

Module 2: Principles of Harm Reduction

We will define harm reduction, give examples of harm reduction strategies specific to opioid use, and describe the role stigma plays in opioid use.

Module 3: Understanding Behavior Change

We will discuss systemic barriers encountered by people who use drugs, list and define the components of the stages of change model, and apply the stages of change model to real-life scenarios.

Module 4: Opioid Overdose - Prevention and Response

We will describe opioids, including opiates, and note typical reasons for their use, describe the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose and appropriate overdose response, list common myths associated with opioid overdoses, and describe the physiological mechanism of action of Naloxone/Narcan.

Module 5: Harm Reduction Implementation

We will explain the link between harm reduction strategies and the transmission of infections. We will also share examples of proven harm reduction strategies implemented in community-based settings.   

Note: After completing the training presentation, you must complete a short quiz and feedback evaluation to receive a certificate of completion.

Course Duration: Approximately 1 hour

Continuing Education Information: 1.0 Category 1 CHES Credits, 1.0 Continuing Competency Credits

CHES Provider number: 99036

Disclosures:  The planners, reviewers, and authors have no declared conflicts of interest

Format: Web-based, Self-study

Created/Updated: January 2021

Author: WRPHTC


Native Hawaiian Health and Wellbeing: Progress and Recommendations

Papa Ola Lokahi has completed the update of the 1985 E Ola Mau (EOMhealth needs assessment and is calling it E Ola Mau Mau. The original EOM report is the basis for the Native Hawaiian Health Care Act which was passed by Congress in 1988. Papa Ola Lokahi and the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems were established as a result and they continue to work to improve the health and well-being of the Native Hawaiian people. The link to key references is found at www.papaolalokahi.org

Guest Speaker:  Sheri Daniels, EdDCSAS, Executive Director of Papa Ola Lokahi

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Sheri Daniels was appointed in April 2016 as Executive Director of Papa Ola Lōkahi (POL), the organization charged by the United States Congress with administrative oversight of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act [Public Law 102-396]. In this role, she leads efforts in developing policy strategies related to health improvement for Native Hawaiians and their families at the local, state and federal level. Dr. Daniels has also played a pivotal role in the development of internal policies, related to the accountability of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems to their individual island communities. She is also the chairperson of Nā Limahana o Lonopūhā, the Native Hawaiian Health Consortium.

Continuing Education Information: 1.5 CHES

Learning Outcomes:

  1. Review the findings and outcomes of the 2018 E Ola Mau a Mau report.
  2. Summarize progress made since 1985 in improving the Native Hawaiian Health.
  3. Discuss the recommendations and strategies to improve Native Hawaiian health and well-being (Mauli Ola)

Antimicrobial Stewardship for Skilled Nursing Facilities in Nevada

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing problem worldwide. National and international organizations have recognized this growing problem and have published guidelines and recommendations to combat it. Despite the recognition of the merits and benefits of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs), only 48% of all US hospitals currently have an ASP in place. Although antimicrobial resistance is a worldwide concern, it is first and foremost a local problem. Health care facilities, such as skilled-nursing and long-term acute care facilities are the sites that see multi-, extremely-, and sometimes pan-resistant bacteria and therefore carry a high responsibility for proper stewardship of our antimicrobial resources. This educational initiative is designed to overcome and address the barriers to facilitate practical implementation of ASPs in the health care setting.

Continuing Education Information: none available

Learning Objectives:

Learners will develop an understanding of antibiotic resistance and antimicrobial stewardship at a local and national level. Learners will also understand the CDC Core Elements of Antimicrobial Stewardship and how to implement it within Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs). Learners will be able to: 

Module 1:

Understand what antibiotic resistance is, and how it has come about.

Understand numbers and figures from various literature sources regarding antibiotic resistance.

Become aware of antibiotic-resistant threats.

Observe what issues have arisen in both Nevada and on the global level due to antibiotic resistance.

Module 2:

Understand antibiotic use in Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs), and the facts, pros, and cons about antibiotic use in the SNF environment. 

Understand the impact of C. difficile infection within the SNFs.

Understand the CDC Core Elements of Antimicrobial Stewardship and how to implement them within the SNF environment. 

Target Audience: Health Systems, Skilled Nursing Facilities, Physicians, Pharmacists, Infectious Disease Health Professionals, Health Educators

Course Duration: 88 minutes (44-minutes per module series)

Disclosures:  James Wilson, MD has declared a financial relationship with M2 Medical Intelligence. Funding for this project was provided by the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health.

Format: Web-based, Self-study

Created/Updated: February 2019

Author: WRPHTC

Presenter: James Wilson, M.D. 


Public Health Campaigns and Movements for a Just Society

The Nevada Public Health Training Center is pleased to share a recording of the February 2019 Public Health ECHO presented by Sari Bilick. This webinar will discuss the work of Human Impact Partners (HIP) and their theory of change which centers power and building power to create health for all. We will look at two initiatives of HIP — the Health Instead of Punishment Program and Public Health Awakened. These initiatives are calling on the field of public health to look beyond traditional health indicators and focus on health equity and building power while aligning ourselves with social justice movements.

Learning Objectives:

  • Introduce Human Impact Partners and their theory of change
  • Discuss the health impacts of immigration policies
  • Identify Public Health Actions for Immigration Rights (PHAIR) for public health departments

Duration: 1 hour

Format: Web-based Training, Self-Study

Author(s) and Presenter(s): Sari Bilick


Asthma 101 for Schools

Asthma is a common chronic disease that affects up to up 20% of children in the United States, depending on geographic region. Caregivers of children, including school staff, should be have a basic understanding of what asthma is, what asthma triggers are, and a general knowledge of its management.  This e-learning course provides training for school personnel who may interact with children with asthma.


Learning Objectives:

This training has been developed to provide a basic overview of asthma and its management.  After completing the course, learners will be able to:

  • Understand the basic pathophysiology of asthma and identify potential asthma triggers.
  • Explain the difference between quick relief medications (e.g., albuterol) versus chronic controller medications in the management of asthma.
  • Describe how asthma control can be measured or monitored.
  • Understand the purpose of an asthma action plan.
  • Identify indicators of good asthma control.
  • Recognize signs and symptoms of acute asthma and describe basic management.

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