Practice Skills 2
| Course Code | AMHW-201 |
|---|---|
| Lecture hours per week | 3 |
| Lab hours per week | 3 |
| Course Availability | Open |
| Description | This course builds on the AMHW program core values, skills and knowledge introduced in AMHW101, to further prepare learners for field placement, and as they grow and develop into professionals in the field. With a focus on practice in the field of addiction and mental health, learners will further develop essential skills in the various phases of the helping relationship, including developing supportive relationships, rapport building, and establishing trust. Firmly grounded in anti-racism, anti-Black racism, anti-colonial, anti-oppression, gender-informed and trauma-informed frameworks, learners will develop practice skills to care for community members and to address the harms and any additional intersecting social determinants of health that affect people and communities in profound and destabilizing ways. Learners will acknowledge and make connections between systemic violence, heterosexism, transphobia, victimization, intergenerational trauma, mental health, and substance use. Additionally, learners will also explore the positive impacts of culturally relevant, appropriate, identity affirming care on recovery and wellbeing. Learners will have the opportunity to research relevant resources to develop the skill of building pathways to care for identity affirming and culturally responsive community agencies. Learners will practice to implement and incorporate culture, beliefs, values and traditions in the engagement, assessment, planning, referral, intervention, and evaluation process. Learners will continue to learn about trauma and its impact, trauma-informed care, as well as discuss and create strategies to respond to and mitigate the risk of vicarious trauma, burnout, and transference that can be detrimental/harmful to self and community members’ care. Lastly, learners will apply a trauma-informed and harm reduction lens to practice to explore and engage with topics such as: basic knowledge of the classifications and names (“street” names) of substances, knowledge of various forms of addictions including substances, process (behavioral), the signs and symptoms of substance use/misuse and/or polydrug (substance) use, including physical and psychological aspects. |