Centerforce Hepatitis C-Infected Peer Health Educator Training

Centerforce Hepatitis C-Infected Peer Health Educator Training DAY 5

Day 5 Schedule

Module 15: 1:1 outreach skills By the end of this module, participants will be able to: • List the purpose, benefits, and guidelines to outreach • Conduct 1:1 outreach with their peers 3

What is it? • What is 1:1 Outreach? • An effective tool for reaching your Peers • Meeting with peers one on one or in small groups of 1 to 4 people • Discussing health, emotional and psychological well being.

1:1 Outreach • Purpose: Discuss issues relevant to the individual or group • Topics: health , family issues, medical issues, etc. • Approach: providing undivided attention to the Peer. • Outcome: increased knowledge and a direction to move forward.

Benefits of 1:1 Outreach • Increased knowledge • Stopping false information from being disseminated; • Possible improved overall health and well being • Ability to get questions answered that they might not otherwise feel comfortable asking

Guidelines for 1:1 Outreach • Find out what person is seeking: • Some people may just need to vent or talk • others may need direction or information regarding various health topics. • Respond respectively, do not judge. • Identify what Stage of Change the person may be in. • Provide desired and appropriate information. • Offer advice only if asked • Maintain everyone’s privacy

Guidelines for 1:1 Outreach (cont’d) • DO NOT give a diagnosis (you are not a clinician). • DO NOT offer counseling (you are not a therapist). • Be aware of your limits and own them: • If you do not know the answer to a question, explain that you don’t. Tell the individual that you will find the information and get back to them. • Be reliable (do what you say you are going to do)

Guidelines for 1:1 Outreach (cont’d) • Be: • Available • Approachable • Up to date (continue to learn) • Flexible • Patient • Compassionate (non-judgemental) • Honest

Module 16: Outreach Practice • By the end of this module, participants will: • Have experience providing peer health education to others about HCV prevention, treatment, etc • Have skills in providing peer health education to others re: HCV • Be confident in their ability to provide peer health education to others re: HCV

Outreach Skills Practice • A Peer Educator approaches two individuals who appear to be getting/giving tattoos. What information can the Peer Educator provide the individuals to change their behaviors? • A Peer Educator is approached by someone in the yard wanting to talk about their sister who was recently diagnosed with HCV.

Outreach Skills Practice (cont) • A Peer Educator overhears a roommate talking about HBV. The roommate tells another roommate that you get HBV from dirty toilet seats. What do you do as a Peer Educator? • While walking to chow, you are approached by a friend and she tells you that her co-worker in the kitchen had HAV. They’re worried that her co-worker is going to get others sick.

Outreach Skills Practice (cont) • A person newly diagnosed with HCV franticly approaches you. She has just returned from lab and found out that her viral load is 20 million. She thinks that because her viral load is so high, she is going to die. What can you tell her? • You know your roommate has HCV and had a doctor appointment today for treatment. She tells you that she went to medical and they don’t know what they are doing because they said she doesn’t qualify for treatment at this time. What are some reasons why she would be denied treatment?

Outreach Skills Practice (cont) • You see a group of youngsters on the yard sharing hooch. You approach them and tell them about the dangers of drinking. Explain to them why it is dangerous. • You find out that your new roommate just got a tattoo. She said she used her own needle, but had to use someone else’s ink. What can you tell her about sharing ink?

Outreach Skills Practice (cont) • You are approached on the yard by someone who just got back from the lab. She said she tested positive for Hepatitis C antibodies, but she doesn’t have a viral load. She is confused by her lab results. Explain to her what they mean. • You call home and find out that your brother was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, Genotype 1. Your mom doesn’t understand what that means. Explain what HCV is and what the Genotype is.

Outreach Skills Practice (cont) • Your roommate decided to get high a couple of days ago. She has since found out that the person she was sharing a rig and equipment with has HCV. She wants to go get tested immediately. What do you tell her? • You call home to check on your dad who has HCV. He said that he is finally on treatment and his viral load is down to 20,000 from 2 million. What does this mean?

Outreach Skills Practice (cont) • Your friends mom was just diagnosed with Hepatitis C. She is talking with her Doctor about treatment options. What might the Doctor consider before putting her on treatment? • Your roommate started treatment last weekend and is starting to experience side effects like, fatigue, muscle/joint pain, and fever. What information can you give her that might help with her side effects?

Outreach Skills Practice (cont) • You call home to talk to your sister. She found out she is pregnant and through the routine pre-natal blood work, she found out she has HCV. Should she consider being treated while she is pregnant? • Your friend is on HCV treatment and is having a difficult time with severe side effects. She wants to quit the treatment. What would be the downsides to her quitting treatment? What information can you give her about how to address some of the side effects of treatment?

Outreach Skills Practice (cont) • Your roommate called home and found out that her husband has HCV. He’s furious because he doesn’t know how he contracted the virus. Your roommate never disclosed to her husband that she has HCV, even though they shared needles. What information can you give her about disclosing her HCV status to her husband? • You are giving a presentation on HCV and are asked if you can get HCV through sex. What do you tell them?

Outreach Skills Practice (cont) • Your new roommate is a “germ-a-phobe”. She doesn’t know that you have HCV and you don’t plan on telling her. Without disclosing your status to her, what are some ways that you can protect her from getting HCV? • You are out on the yard one day and see your old girlfriend, who is HCV positive and a tattoo artist, getting ready to tattoo a new lifer. You know that your old girlfriend doesn’t have access to new equipment and ink. What can you do or say?

Outreach Skills Practice (cont) • Your co-worker is convinced that she is going to contract HCV from her new HCV positive roommate just by living in the same room with her. What can you do to calm her fears? • You have a new girlfriend and you let her know that you have HCV. You both want to take things to the next level physically. She is worried that she will contract the virus from you. What can you tell her to ease her fears?

Outreach Skills Practice (cont) • Your roommate is a new lifer. She tested positive for HCV when she came into the prison just a few months ago. She is having a difficult time getting to medical and doesn’t know where to begin to seek treatment and further testing. What advice can you give her? • You started HCV treatment the same time as a lady that lives down the same hall as you. After 12 weeks of treatment, you have tested “undetectable”. She still has a viral load of 150,000, but her viral load before treatment was 150,000,000. She is discouraged because she doesn’t test undetectable too. What can you tell her to encourage her with the results that she currently has?

Closing and Graduation By the end of this module participants will Complete a Post training Survey. Participate in closing circle that recognizes the bonds formed and skills learned, and the sense of community created by the training program Receive certificates of completion.

Centerforce Hepatitis C-Infected Peer Health Educator Training