Description
The purpose of this program is to build the capacity and increase the skills and abilities of two Vietnam Medical Universities (VMUS), specifically Hanoi Medical University and Ho Chi Minh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, in developing and implementing a Vietnam H-ATTC to assess the training and development needs of the behavioral health (including HIV, substance use, and mental disorders treatment) workforce, and to develop and conduct training and technology transfer activities in Vietnam in a culturally competent and linguistically appropriate manner. The grantee will provide training and technical assistance to VMUs to enhance their ability to: (1) translate research findings into user-friendly and clinically applicable materials; (2) utilize innovative skills development methods; (3) increase awareness and expertise in cultural competence; (4) promote and develop education and training programs within the existing academic institutions (i.e., primary healthcare) and assist with enabling these VMUs to build the capacity of the addiction services system, specifically starting with methadone in Vietnam. The Vietnam H-ATTC program seeks to address behavioral health disparities by encouraging the implementation of strategies to decrease the differences in access, service use, and outcomes among the racial and ethnic minority populations served. Through an Inter-Agency Agreement (IAA), the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) delegates its authority and transfers some of its funds to SAMHSA for this program. Therefore, SAMHSA operates under PEPFAR authorities when carrying out PEPFAR-related activities. As an implementing partner in PEPFAR, SAMHSA is working with countries where the HIV epidemic is driven by substance abuse. Vietnam is one such PEPFAR country. The HIV epidemic in Vietnam is concentrated primarily among injecting drug users (IDU), commercial sex workers (CSW) and men who have sex with men (MSM). Prevalence is estimated at up to 60 percent among IDUs and 6.5 percent among CSWs, while the general population prevalence is 0.53 percent (UNAIDS, 2006). Thus, given the HIV epidemic, there is a strong need to develop the skills and abilities of in-country health care staff in the nexus of HIV, substance use and mental disorders to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS. The US-Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network promotes and guides effective sharing of knowledge among stakeholders involved in the substance use disorders treatment milieu, resulting in positive changes in policies, attitudes and practices regarding treatment for substance-related problems. The ultimate objective of the ATTC Network is to increase availability and improve delivery of research-proven and culturally appropriate treatments in community settings in order to improve outcomes of substance use disorders treatment throughout the nation. The ATTCs are dedicated to building and supporting a well-trained, recovery-oriented, ethnically diverse workforce dedicated to reducing substance-related problems and consequences. In Vietnam the utilization and adoption of this model will enable the two VMUs to establish themselves as providers of similar services to improve the development of addiction services and improve treatment outcomes. Accordingly, the ATTC model and approach is the most appropriate for the delivery of technical assistance and training to assist in building the capacity of the workforce in Vietnam as the country continues to build and implement a system of HIV, substance abuse prevention and treatment services. The Legislative Authority for the Vietnam H-ATTC program is the Tom Lantos and Henry J Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 and the PEPFAR Stewardship and Oversight Act of 2013. This announcement addresses Healthy People 2020 Substance Abuse Topic Area HP 2020-SA.