TEACH FAQ 2013.pdf - CAMH - Nicotine Dependence Clinic

TEACH Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Have a question about TEACH See if we have already answered it in this
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. These FAQ’s are a
compilation of questions we have been asked over the years from course
participants and interested applicants.
If you have a question not found in this document, please contact TEACH at
teach@camh.ca or 416-535-8501 x1600 for our voicemail.
Applying to TEACH Courses
Who is eligible to apply to TEACH
TEACH courses are interdisciplinary and are targeted towards practitioners who have
the ability to deliver intensive cessation counselling. Applicants must be employed and
receive manager approval prior to applying to TEACH courses. We do not currently
accept students into classroom-based courses. There is no minimum educational or
professional requirement to attend TEACH courses.
What are the criteria for acceptance into the classroom-based TEACH
Certificate Program
The primary objective of the TEACH Project is to build intensive cessation capacity
within Ontario, utilizing the resources provided by the Ontario Ministry of Health and
Long-Term Care to train as many practitioners in diverse settings as possible.
Each application received by TEACH is assessed according to the following criteria:
Level of clinical contact
Ability to influence organizational change (i.e. offering intensive cessation
programming)
Geographical need to build capacity
Service to specific populations with high smoking prevalence
Ability to meet prerequisite criteria for each course

How do I apply to TEACH Certificate Program courses
Applications for the TEACH Certificate Program are submitted online via the TEACH website.
Each time you apply for a course you must complete the full online application. Applications
open approximately eight weeks prior to each Certificate Program offering.
Am I automatically registered in TEACH courses after submitting the
application form
No, all applications are subject to a review process. Participants will be notified regarding
the status of their application (i.e. accepted or declined) approximately two weeks after
online applications close.
Can I edit my online application form after I have submitted it
No, once your application has been submitted you may not make edits to it. Please ensure
that your application is complete and has been thoroughly reviewed prior to submitting it
online. Each applicant will receive an emailed copy of the application to the email address
provided in the application for your own records.
Is the 50-100 word paragraph I am required to provide on my TEACH
online Certificate Program application actually an important part of the
applicant selection process
Yes. Along with the selection criteria on which we assess each application, the personal
statement provides us with an understanding of why you require training in intensive
cessation counselling, along with how you will implement the knowledge and skills in your
practice.
When will I find out if I am accepted or not
Participants will be notified regarding the status of their application (i.e. accepted or
declined) approximately two weeks after online applications close.
Does TEACH have a wait-list For which courses
Since TEACH typically receives many more applications than there are spaces in our courses,
we do have a wait-list.
Each person who applies to the TEACH Core Course and fulfills eligibility criteria but does
not make it into the course due to volume of participants will be placed on a wait-list.
Should a space become available, TEACH will get in touch with applicants who are wait-

listed and offer admission. If a participant is wait-listed for the current offering of TEACH,
they will receive priority for the next upcoming TEACH training but must submit a new
application. If a new application is not submitted to TEACH, priority status for the next
TEACH training will not be maintained.
There were three applicants to TEACH from my organization and two of us
did not get in. Why do some people get accepted over others
Each application is reviewed according to the following eligibility criteria:
Level of clinical contact
Ability to influence organizational change (i.e. offering intensive cessation
programming)
Geographical need to build capacity Service to specific populations with high
smoking prevalence
Ability to meet prerequisite criteria for each course.
Further, as part of our mandate to increase Ontario-wide capacity in tobacco
dependence treatment, we try to accept individuals from as many different
organizations as possible, especially from those organizations who do not have any
TEACH trained practitioners. It is our aim at TEACH that everyone who attends our
courses will return to their organizations and disseminate the information they learned
with their colleagues.
Why does my manager have to approve my application
It is essential that each applicant’s manager is supportive of staff pursuing and
implementing tobacco dependence treatment. If there is manager support for attending
TEACH training, the likelihood is greater that the applicant will be encouraged and
supported in providing tobacco dependence treatment. Manager approval is, in effect,
an endorsement of organizational willingness to introduce or enhance tobacco
dependence treatment programming.
What if I am my own manager
If you are in a private practice and do not report to a superior, you can endorse this
section of the form, indicating responsibility to implement tobacco dependence
treatment after attending TEACH.
I missed the application period because I was away. Can I submit an
application after the application period closes
Unfortunately due to course planning and logistics, all applications must be received
during the three-week online application period. We are unable to make exceptions
even if the interested individual requires meets eligibility criteria, or if TEACH training is
a requirement for one’s practice.

Is TEACH available online
At this time, only the TEACH Core Course is available online. This course was piloted
online in February 2013. TEACH Specialty courses are not yet available online; please
stay tuned to www.teachproject.ca for updates and/or please email teach@camh.ca
and let us know if you would like to join our email distribution list to receive
communications from TEACH.
Course Withdrawal
I was accepted to TEACH but quickly realized I am unable to attend for the
full period. What are my options
If you are enrolled in a course but are no longer able to attend, please contact TEACH as
soon as possible via email at teach@camh.ca or by telephone at 416-535-8501 x1600.
We appreciate notification of any course cancellations as soon as they are known, so we
are able to offer a space to an eligible applicant on our wait-list.
If an emergency arises and I am no longer able to attend the course I was
accepted into, can I give my spot to my colleague
No, TEACH has a strict no-transfer policy. Once an application is approved, the space
belongs exclusively to the student who was accepted into the TEACH course, not the
organization. If the student cancels, the available space will go to an applicant on our
waitlist. Colleagues of the student who cancels will not be considered unless they had
submitted an application to TEACH during the application period. There are no
exceptions.
Training Logistics
Accreditation
Am I considered Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS) certified after
attending TEACH

Currently in Canada, there is no regulatory body that administers and governs Tobacco
Treatment Specialist (TTS) Certification. Practitioners who attend TEACH will receive a
Certificate of Completion in Continuing Education in Intensive Tobacco Cessation
Interventions from the University of Toronto, NOT TTS certification. Recently, TEACH
received accreditation from ATTUD (Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and
Dependence), an international organization of providers dedicated to promoting
evidence-based treatment for tobacco use and dependence. Many of the tobacco
dependence treatment training programs in the United States that are ATTUD
accredited offer TTS Certification. However, due to the fact that no regulatory body
exists in Canada to govern TTS certification requirements, TEACH cannot provide
practitioners with TTS certification following completion of our certificate program. If
you are a healthcare practitioner that is interested in TTS certification, please visit the
ATTUD website for more information on tobacco dependence treatment training
programs in the USA.
How is TEACH accredited
The TEACH Project certificate program is currently accredited by the following
regulatory bodies:
Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence (ATTUD)
University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine: Continuing Education and
Professional Development (40.5 credits)
Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM): Continuing Education and
Professional Development
University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine: Continuing Medical Education
College of Family Physicians of Canada MAINPRO-C (40.5 credits)
Canadian Addiction Counselling Certification Federation (40.5 credits)
Ontario College of Pharmacists (40.5 credits)
Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (41 CEU Points: Category 1 –
Core Courses)
To find out how our TEACH Project Webinar Series is accredited please click here.
To find out how our TEACH Project Community of Practice Series is accredited, please
click here.
When do I receive my Letter of Completion and/or University of Toronto
(U of T) Certificate
Participants of the TEACH Certificate Program can expect to receive an electronic Letter
of Completion from the TEACH Project within one month following the training.

Participants can expect to receive their Certificate of Completion in Continuing
Education in Intensive Tobacco Cessation Interventions from the University of Toronto, 3
months following the training in the mail. The U of T certificate is only administered for
full completion of all mandatory certificate program requirements. For more
information on how to fulfill the TEACH Project Certificate Program’s mandatory
requirements, please click here.
Can I obtain a TEACH/U of T certificate if I was trained at the University of
Massachusetts or the Mayo Clinic
Although the content, structure and format of TEACH overlaps with the University of
Massachusetts and the Mayo Clinic, the programs are still very different, and the
University of Toronto will not allow us to provide certificates to practitioners who have
not completed all TEACH requirements. If you have been trained previously at the
University of Massachusetts or the Mayo Clinic, you will still need to fulfill all TEACH
Certificate Program requirements if you are interested in obtaining the U of T certificate.
For more information on how to fulfill the TEACH Project Certificate Program’s
mandatory requirements, please click here.
I am University of Massachusetts or Mayo Clinic trained and need to get
recertification credits. What are my options
There are many opportunities for you, which include:
TEACH Certificate Program Specialty Courses – If you have already received a
Certificate of Completion in Continuing Education in Intensive Tobacco Cessation
Interventions from the University of Toronto, you may return to TEACH and take
additional specialty courses at your own expense (i.e. pay the course fee of $500,
pay for your own travel and accommodation). Unfortunately, subsidization is no
longer available for Certificate Program completers returning to take a second,
third or fourth specialty course. For more information regarding this new policy
please click here.
TEACH Lunch & Learn Webinar Series (held on a monthly basis, click here for a
full course schedule and application periods)
TEACH Community of Practice Webinar Series on “Process Improvement in
Healthcare” (offered bi-monthly until March 2013 – please click here for more
information)
Program Training and Consultation Centre (PTCC), for more information please
click here.
CAN-ADAPTT Online Discussion Forum, register now.

Online learning and webinars, such as the University of California San
Francisco Smoking Cessation Leadership Centre
ATTUD Accredited training programs, for more information please click here.
Am I required to write the TEACH exam in order to receive my Certificate
In order to receive a Certificate of Completion in Continuing Education in Intensive
Tobacco Cessation Interventions from the University of Toronto, participants attending
the three day Core Course are required to complete a one hour multiple choice
examination at the end of the course. Only participants who successfully pass the
examination (i.e. receive a grade of 70% or higher) are eligible for a Certificate of
Completion. If a participant does not demonstrate command of the program content
(i.e. does not receive a grade of 70% or higher on the exam), they will not receive a
Certificate of Completion. However, participants who fail the examination are allowed
to retest up to two times within two years following the date of initial exam. For more
information on the rewrite process please read the TEACH exam policy in further detail
here.
Training Costs
How much does the Core Course cost
The Core Course costs $150 for new applicants to TEACH who live within Ontario. The
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care covers the actual cost of this workshop for new
applicants. Course registration and materials are covered, with travel and
accommodation costs also covered based on organizational resources and need.
If participants cancel their space after the cancellation deadline or fail to show up for
the course, the $150 will not be refunded. If the new applicant to TEACH lives OUTSIDE
of Ontario, the core course costs $900 plus any travel and accommodation costs.
I have never attended a TEACH Specialty course. How much does a
Specialty course cost
For residents of Ontario: If you have NEVER attended any TEACH Specialty course, there
is no cost.

For residents outside of Ontario: The cost of attending a Specialty course is $500 plus
all costs associated with travel and accommodation.
I have already attended a TEACH Specialty course. How much does a
Specialty course cost
Our new policy (effective July 1, 2012) stipulates that if you have already completed
your TEACH certificate (attended the Core Course and one Specialty course),
participants will be required to pay for any additional Specialty courses. If you would like
to attend another Specialty course, the cost is $500 plus travel and accommodation
expenses. Please see further details on the TEACH website.
I do not live in Toronto. Are travel and accommodations subsidized
For all participants living in Ontario, travel expenses are covered by TEACH. Participants
are requiring train or air travel are responsible for booking their own travel
arrangements through our travel agents upon acceptance into TEACH. Further
information and details are provided upon acceptance into the course.
For students who do not require train or air travel: public transportation, car mileage
(42 cents/km) and parking costs will be reimbursed after the workshop. Transportation
with GO Transit can be booked directly by the student and will be reimbursed after the
workshop. In order to be reimbursed, The TEACH Project must receive original receipts
for all costs incurred. Rental cars and valet parking will not be covered by TEACH. Please
note that travel is non-refundable once booked.
Accommodation costs are covered for TEACH participants who live in Ontario and
greater than 60 km away from the course location, and who are attending the Core
Course and/or their first Specialty course. The accommodations will be booked by the
TEACH staff.
Is there a funding subsidy available for out-of-province or international
participants
Unfortunately, TEACH is unable to provide any subsidy for any participants, including
those outside of Ontario.
Can my $150 fee be waived
The $150 administration fee cannot be waived for any participants, including those
employed at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

What does “travel bursary” mean
The TEACH Project is solely funded by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. If an
organization/agency has funds that they are able and willing to contribute towards
sending an applicant from their organization to TEACH, they are able to do so through a
donation. These donations are used to assist in offsetting some of the costs of the
program. This donation cannot be used in place of the fees associated with taking the
Certificate Program.
Training Logistics
Does TEACH provide child care
Unfortunately, TEACH does not provide childcare for participants attending the TEACH
Certificate Program. The TEACH Project discourages parents from bringing children to
the training without prearranged supervision, however, if participants are required to
bring their children to the training, it is their responsibility to find appropriate
supervision for them during scheduled training hours. The TEACH project staff are not
responsible for unsupervised children of the participants, and therefore, will not be
liable for any resulting death or injury that might occur. TEACH also does not reimburse
child care expenses.
What is the difference between a dietary requirement and a dietary
request
A dietary requirement suggests that an individual has a pre-existing allergy and/or
intolerance to certain foods (egg, nuts, milk, peanut, fish, shellfish etc.) or has
maintained a long-term commitment to a specific diet (vegetarian, gluten-free, kosher,
halal etc.) for religious or personal reasons. A dietary request suggests that an individual
might have certain food preferences, but are not restricted from eating other foods. As
a result of funding limitations, the TEACH Project is unable to accommodate dietary
requests.
I have a long commute home from Toronto. Can I extend my stay at the
hotel
Only participants that are required to travel continuously for five hours or more to their
final destination will be permitted to extend their accommodation with no additional
personal cost at the TEACH Project’s designated hotel for the night of the last day of the

course that they are attending. Participants who do not have five hours of travel on the
final day of training may extend their stay at their own expense.
When do I receive my expense reimbursement
The expense reimbursement form is reviewed by the TEACH staff and processed by the
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s finance department. The amount of time it
takes for participants to receive their expense reimbursement form is dependent how
quickly participants mail in their expense form and original receipts to the TEACH
Project office, the level of completeness and accuracy of the submitted form, and the
volume of expense forms received.
It generally takes three to four weeks for participants to receive their reimbursement
expense cheque once it is submitted by the TEACH staff to the CAMH finance
department.
Can I book my own travel
While the TEACH Project covers all travel expenses for participants in Ontario,
participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements. Successful
applicants of the TEACH training will receive the contact information for the travel
agency designated by the TEACH Project. Participants must use the designated travel
agency if their method of transportation to the training site involves taking the train
(excludes the GO-train) or by aircraft. Rental cars are not covered by the TEACH Project.
Out of province participants (non-Ontarians) are free to book their own travel method
as they will be responsible for incurring all transportation expenses.
I have an important appointment during the week of TEACH that I cannot
miss. Can I miss part of the course
All participants are expected to attend all training days for the full day (8:30 AM – 4:30
PM). Only those who attend for the full period in-class and complete all learning
assessments will receive certificates of completion. If a participant is unable to attend
the full training session they will not receive a certificate of completion and will not be
eligible for a Certificate in Intensive Cessation Counselling from the University of
Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine. The TEACH Project is responsible for adhering to strict
guidelines from our accrediting bodies, so please reschedule any meeting,
appointments, or other engagements to allow yourself to attend the entire course(s). If
you cannot commit to attend all training days, please consider apply for the next
iteration of TEACH courses.

Other TEACH Opportunities
How can I join the TEACH mailing list
If you are interested in learning about upcoming TEACH events and educational
opportunities, we encourage you to join the TEACH mailing list. To join, please send an
email to teach@camh.ca with the subject “Join Mailing List”. You will then be added to
our mailing list and you will receive updates about our upcoming events such as courses
and webinars along with other TEACH educational opportunities.
What is the TEACH Listserv
The TEACH Listserv is available to those who have completed the TEACH Core course
and is part of the TEACH Community of Practice. The Listserv differs from our mailing list
and allows members to engage other TEACH-trained practitioners by posting tobaccorelated
information or questions to a large number of people from different disciplines
and receive feedback.
How can I join the monthly webinars
TEACH offers an ongoing series of monthly Lunch and Learn webinars on a variety of
topics related to tobacco interventions. The schedule of all monthly webinars is posted
on our website under the Lunch and Learn tab, in “Course Schedule”. If you would like
to apply for one of our webinars, please visit the “Apply Online”tab on our
website.Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation page that will contain a link
to a pre-webinar learning assessment and a link to the online webinar. The registration
period for the following webinar will always open the Monday after the previous
webinar has finished.
Are there other trainings focused on delivering tobacco interventions I
can participate in
TEACH offers many other training opportunities in addition to Certificate Program,
including:
Monthly Lunch and Learn Webinars for physicians, Family Health Teams, and
other health and allied health professionals.

The Community of Practice Webinars which offers knowledge transfer and
exchange amongst health professionals in direct clinical practice.
Our TEACH Store offers many resources for purchase such as the Fundamentals
of Tobacco Intervention (FTI) Toolkit. The FTI is available for anyone who has
completed the TEACH Certificate Program and would like to design, facilitate,
build, and increase capacity of tobacco cessation programs in their organizations.
Other self-directed learning can be accessed on our resources page and TEACH
web portal
o Outside of TEACH there are also the following resources:
o
o
o
The Program Training and Consultation Centre (PTCC) offers a range of
training and professional development opportunities and resources,
more information at http://www.ptcc-cfc.on.ca/english/Site-Home)
CAN-ADAPTT Online Discussion Forum – focusing on developing and
implementing Canadian cessation practice guidelines (For new members,
more information is available at http://www.can-adaptt.net/join.aspx)
Ontario Tobacco Research Unit Online Course: Tobacco and Public
Health: From Research to Practice: http://tobaccocourse.otru.org/
Are there any publications on TEACH
TEACH has a recent publication in the journal of Patient Education and Counselling:
Herie, M., Connolly, H., Voci, S., Dragonetti, R., Selby, P. (2012). Changing practitioner
behavior and building capacity in tobacco cessation treatment: the TEACH
project. Patient Education and Counseling, 86 (1), pp: 49-56.