Available courses

HIV and HCV rapid testing in low threshold settings for PWUD

Self enrolment
Before starting the course, please read the short manual available on this page: https://harmreduction.eu/toolbox/available-courses/manual

This course has been designed to be a complete tool to provide staff in low-threshold settings the knowledge, skills and techniques needed for testing people who use drugs for HIV and HCV and linking them to needed care.

This course was developed within the EU-funded programme, Joint Action on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Tuberculosis among People Who Inject Drugs in Europe (HA-REACT).

Main topics:

Przewodnik po terapii substytucyjnej w jednostkach penitencjarnych

Guest accessSelf enrolment
Przed rozpoczęciem kursu prosimy o zapoznanie się z instrukcją do naszej platformy, dostępnej na tej stronie: https://harmreduction.eu/toolbox/available-courses/manual-pl

Celem kursu jest poszerzenie wiedzy na temat terapii substytucyjnej realizowanej w jednostkach penitencjarnych. Uczestnicy mają okazję zapoznać się z głównymi celami terapii substytucyjnej oraz korzyściami, jakie wynikają z jej stosowania. Opisane zostały najważniejsze metody leczenia i etyczne podstawy leczenia substytucyjnego w jednostce penitencjarnej.

Kurs kierujemy do lekarzy pracujących w jednostkach penitencjarnych, lekarzy kontraktowych, pracowników więziennej służby zdrowia, administracji, organizacji pozarządowych i innych instytucji zajmujących się sprawowaniem opieki nad osobami uzależnionymi od opiatów, objętymi leczeniem substytucyjnym.

Zakres tematyczny kursu:

  • Główne cele leczenia substytucyjnego
  • Korzyści wynikające z leczenia substytucyjnego
  • Schematy leczenia substytucyjnego
  • Zagrożenia i ograniczenia terapii substytucyjnej
  • Najczęściej stosowane leki w terapii substytucyjnej
  • Wdrożenie leczenia substytucyjnego w zakładach karnych
  • Informacje dla pacjenta w leczeniu substytucyjnym
  • Kontynuacja leczenia po rozpoczęciu lub zakończeniu kary więzienia
  • Powiązanie terapii substytucyjnej z leczeniem infekcji krwiopochodnych i innych
  • Etyka medyczna leczenia substytucyjnego w zakładzie karnym

Opioid Substitution Treatment in Prison

Guest accessSelf enrolment
Before starting the course, please read the short manual available on this page: https://harmreduction.eu/toolbox/available-courses/manual

The main goal of the course is to broaden knowledge about substitution therapy in such specific conditions as penitentiary units. Participants have the opportunity to become acquainted with the main goals of substitution therapy and the benefits that prisons achieve by applying it. In addition, the most important methods of this type of treatment and its ethical basis have been described.

The content on this course is based on the expertise of scientists and medical doctors/psychiatrists/healthcare professionals working in the field of substitution treatment in prisons. Relevant international literature and databases have been reviewed in order to develop the best evidence based guidance. The publication follows the guidance and recommendations of several international publications such as the WHO Regional Office for Europe: Health in Prisons. A WHO guide to the essentials in prison health, the UNODC/UNAIDS/WHO framework for HIV prevention, care, treatment and support in prison settings, as well as the WHO/UNAIDS/UNODC Evidence for actions technical paper: Interventions to address HIV in prisons – Drug dependence treatment.

This course is to support prison doctors, contracted doctors, prison health care workers, prison administration, NGOs and others in delivering or supporting substitution treatment to opioid dependent prisoners.

Subjects of the course
  • The main goals of substitution treatment
  • Benefits of substitution treatment
  • Schemes of substitution treatment
  • Threats and limitations of substitution therapy
  • The most commonly used drugs in substitution therapy
  • Implementation of substitution treatment in prisons
  • Information for patients in substitution treatment
  • Continuation of treatment after commencement or termination of prison sentence
  • Linking substitution therapy to treatment of blood-borne and other infections
  • Medical ethics of substitution treatment in a prison

Prison needle and syringe programmes (PNSP)

Guest accessSelf enrolment
Before starting the course, please read the short manual available on this page: https://harmreduction.eu/toolbox/available-courses/manual

This course aims to provide information and practical guidance to support the implementation of NSP in prisons and other closed settings. The course presents models of PNSP that have been tried and evaluated around the world, and provides recommendations and practical advice on advocating, starting, scaling up and monitoring PNSP.

More than 40 experts from different regions of the world contributed to its development.

The intended audience for this course includes prison governors, administrators and staff, health-care managers and programme coordinators at all levels across all types of custodial institutions, prison administrations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and trade union officials.

Subjects of the course:
  • The scientific evidence on the effectiveness of PNSP
  • A legal framework for PNSP
  • Models of needle and syringe programmes in prison
  • Elements of an effective programme
  • Document HIV, hepatits, injecting drug use and risk behaviours among prisoners
  • Identify and educate key stakeholders
  • Implement the programme at the prsion level
  • Monitor, evaluate and conduct quality assurance

Condom Distribution Program in Prison

Guest accessSelf enrolment
Before starting the course, please read the short manual available on this page: https://harmreduction.eu/toolbox/available-courses/manual

In 1991, the World Health Organization reported that 23 of 52 prison system surveyed allowed condoms in correctional facilities. In 2016, prison jurisdictions is many countries, still do not allow prison inmates access to condoms despite evidence that HIV prevalence and transmission risks are higher within prisoner populations that general community. Condoms, if used correctly and consistently, cant prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
 

Harm reduction in prison

Guest accessSelf enrolment
Before starting the course, please read the short manual available on this page: https://harmreduction.eu/toolbox/available-courses/manual

The “Harm reduction in prison” course provides a useful introduction to themes related to drug use in the prison setting and risks related to the transmission of infections through drug use and sexual activities, as well as an introduction on risk reduction strategies and services in prison both from the point of view of service description and of specific organisational and methodological aspects related to the provision of these services in a setting such as prisons.