AID In PA is accepting applicants for its April 2024 TRAIN program. This free training program was developed for therapists, counselors, and clinical social workers who already have experience working with clients who have an ID/A diagnosis and are looking to gain knowledge and skills related to trauma therapy.

Individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism are at an increased risk of experiencing trauma, however, few therapists are skilled in both trauma and ID/A support. To bridge this gap, psychologists with the ASERT team created the TRAIN program – 12 weeks of self-guided learnings and live webinars to equip therapists across Pennsylvania currently working with the ID/A populations, with the skills to support clients through trauma experiences.

Participants have direct supervision from psychologists with backgrounds in both trauma and ID/A and interactive discussions with fellow participants, as well as receive Continuing Education (CE) credits provided through the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) upon completion of the program. You must currently be licensed and provide 1:1 talk therapy sessions to adult clients at the moment to qualify for this course and participate in the case consultation presentations.

The TRAIN program focuses on

• Trauma-focused mental healthcare
• Types and prevalence of trauma
• Disclosures of abuse
• Ethical principles of reporting abuse
• Expressions of trauma
• Assessing trauma and trauma-focused interviews
• Psychoeducation
• Trauma response management strategies
• Trauma processing
• Resiliency and self-care

Course structure

12 weeks in total, comprised of 3 modules that are each 4 weeks long. The first three weeks are self-paced learning courses that are assigned through AID in PA’s online Learning Management System. The fourth week of each module is an hour and a half interactive discussion with the other group members and instructors. These live sessions are required and are held from 9:00 – 10:30 AM on the following dates:

• 4/9: Pre-training live session
• 5/14: Module 1 live session
• 6/11: Module 2 live session
• 7/9: Module 3 live session
• 8/13-10/29: Weekly Case Consultation Calls (8AM – 9AM, Tuesdays)

Case Consultations

After the initial 12 weeks there is a short break followed by a second 12-week session that consists of weekly one-hour case consultations. Each participant is expected to present a case from a current patient and receive feedback/information from other participants and the instructors. Participants need to join at least 6 of the 12 weekly case consultation calls, although it’s encouraged to attend all. If you are not currently seeing patients or are not in a capacity to present any cases, this may not be the right program for you.

Cost and CE credits

It is free to participate, and if you complete the entire program, you will receive 13.5 CE credits through the NBCC.

If you believe this program is appropriate for you and can commit to the requirements, please complete the survey on this page: https://aidinpa.org/train-2/  by March 25, 2024. First come, first serve basis, so don’t delay! If you cannot attend the Spring session, the program will also be available in Fall 2024.