Curriculum

Rainbow Health MN has been fighting HIV for over four decades. This curriculum is tried and true!

This training is designed for individuals seeking to learn the basics of HIV and how it impacts individuals today. Because there are still thousands of cases of HIV in Minnesota today, and HIV has the potential to impact and intersect with a person’s chemical, mental, and physical health, it is important to understand HIV in the 21st century. This training will help professionals in all contexts understand the basics of HIV, updated treatment guidelines, and their role in creating safe, non-judgmental spaces for people living with HIV. 

Objectives of this course include: 

• Develop an understanding of HIV, including the difference between HIV and AIDS.
• Explore the epidemiology of HIV in Minnesota and Nationally.
• Understand current HIV treatment and risk reduction strategies.
• Learn about prevention strategies including Prevention as Treatment, U=U, PrEP, and PEP.
• Gain comfort with the language used to discuss HIV and HIV stigma.
• Learn and develop skills in assisting people through HIV disclosure.
• Review resources for HIV services.

Rainbow Health has always prioritized and focused on serving the LGBTQ+ population. Today, we center individuals who face barriers to equitable healthcare access and outcomes because of their identity as gender or sexual minorities.

This training is designed for individuals seeking to learn more about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer identities. Gender and sexual orientation are critical to who we are as people and impact a person’s day-to-day life, including one’s mental and physical health. Because of this, it is important for professionals to understand LGBTQ+ identities and work to eliminate barriers LGBTQ+ people face to getting affirming care. This training will help professionals in all contexts feel prepared to serve, help, care for, and work alongside LGBTQ+ individuals. It will also provide guidance for future learning and skill development in order to stay up to date on information regarding LGBTQ+ identities. 

Objectives for this course include: 

By the end of the module, learners will be able to:

• Define intersectionality and recognize how it impacts the experiences of LGBTQ+ community members.
• Use gender-affirming language including pronouns.
• Describe the differences between sex, sexuality, and gender.
• Identify how sexual orientation and gender identity impact provider/client relationships.

This training is based on our core LGBTQ+ curriculum, but with a greater focus on transgender identities. Participants will practice using gender-neutral pronouns, explore key health disparities for trans communities, and focus on breaking down barriers trans individuals face. This training will help professionals in all contexts feel prepared to serve, help, care for, and work alongside trans individuals.

Objectives of this course include:

• Develop an understanding of the differences between sex, sexuality, and gender.
• Understand and practice the language used to discuss gender and gain comfort using various gender pronouns.
• Explore data and understand the health disparities trans communities experience.
• Learn skills to reduce barriers trans members of the LGBTQ+ community face.
• Explore ways you can be more inclusive of transgender people.

This 2–day course prepares individuals to become community health educators knowledgeable in HIV prevention, transmission, testing, and HIV-related statutes and policies. Individuals will learn how to effectively communicate basic HIV messages in a sensitive, non-judgmental style using different strategies for various audiences. Participants will demonstrate their knowledge and develop public speaking skills through communication exercises. Participants will also gain tools and resources that can be used in providing HIV education in group settings.

Objectives of this course include:

• Understanding transmission, prevention, and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
• Overcoming personal discomfort in addressing HIV issues with clients.
• Understanding HIV-related statutes and policies that affect people living with HIV.
• Ability to conduct games and activities related to HIV for future presentations.

This training is designed for individuals seeking to learn more about HIV and the intersection of chemical health and sexual health. Because sexual behaviors are often linked to a person’s chemical, mental, and physical health, addressing these issues is important for both individuals who are living with HIV and those who are unaware of their status. This training will help LADCs and other professionals feel prepared to discuss HIV, STIs, and sexual health with their clients, understand their role in creating safe, non-judgmental practices for clients that have HIV, and explore different sexual health risk assessments that can be incorporated as part of a treatment plan.

Objectives of this course include:

• Understanding transmission, prevention, and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
• Overcoming personal discomfort in addressing HIV issues with clients.
• Creating a safe culture within the treatment center to effectively address stigma, discrimination, and disclosure of HIV status
• Utilizing evidence-based HIV risk assessment tools to identify risk behaviors, make referrals to testing and treatment, and provide after-care planning

Hepatitis C is the most common co-infection among those living with HIV. Around 62-80% of People Who Inject Drugs with HIV also have Hep C. Understanding Hepatitis C is crucial to supporting clients who have, are recently diagnosed with, or are at higher risk of acquiring Hepatitis C. In addition to its connection to HIV, Hep C information is particularly relevant to professionals who work at Syringe Service Programs and Treatment Centers, and those working with populations exiting jails and prisons.

This training will cover:

• Hepatitis and liver function
• Hepatitis C transmission
• Hepatitis C testing
• Hepatitis C disease progression
• Treatment options for Hepatitis C

This training is designed for individuals seeking to learn more about HIV and Aging. More than 50% of people living with HIV are over the age of 50. Older adults who have been living with HIV for many years and those who have recently been diagnosed with HIV face unique challenges and have distinct needs. This training will dive into epidemiology through the lens of a case manager with true stories related to HIV and aging. Learn about what makes aging with HIV unique, gain insight into how to work effectively with older clients living with HIV, work together to share resources and strategies for successful case management, and practice having conversations with older adults about their sexual health.

Objectives of this course include:

• Describe the epidemiology of older adults living with HIV, including the differences between someone recently diagnosed and someone living with HIV for many years.
• Understand the unique experiences, needs, and challenges of older adults living with HIV, including cross-generational considerations.
• Understand and be ready to use a sexual health risk reduction assessment to help your clients, particularly older adults, understand their risk for HIV and engage in risk reduction techniques.

This training, based on the award-winning curriculum from Training to Serve, is designed for individuals seeking to learn about the unique needs of the aging LGBTQ+ community. We will briefly review the differences between sex, gender, and sexuality, and the language used to discuss each. We will then apply this lens to explore how history, politics, and HIV have had a profound impact on the experiences of older LGBTQ+ people. Finally, we will explore the disparities faced by this population and how we can best serve them.

Objectives for this course include:

• Understand the differences between sex, sexuality, and gender, and the language used to discuss each.
• Describe LGBTQ+ history and how it impacts older adults seeking services.
• State the impact of HIV and AIDS on older LGBTQ+ adults.
• Utilize strategies, resources, and tools to serve the LGBTQ+ aging population in your program services.

Engaging in dialogue with clients about their sexual health can often be difficult and uncomfortable. Providers may be unsure about the right questions to start these conversations or the most accurate and up-to-date information to provide. Clients may feel embarrassed, offended, and defensive when questions about their personal sexual behaviors are asked. Although there are many barriers preventing these discussions, sexual health counseling can be beneficial to the therapeutic and medical relationship between provider and client. Because sexual behaviors are often linked to a person’s chemical, mental, and physical health, addressing these issues is important for both individuals who are living with HIV and those who are unaware of their status. This training will provide a forum for a frank discussion about sexual behaviors that put a client at risk for HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections.

Objectives for this course include:

• Explore various risk prevention techniques and strategies for harm reduction.
• Practice communication skills for engaging in sexual health dialogue while maintaining personal and professional boundaries.
• Discuss tools for obtaining sexual health history and addressing barriers during risk assessments and referrals.

Because of discrimination, fear, health access, and more, people living with HIV are more likely to have mental and chemical health concerns. This training addresses important considerations for providers when working with HIV+ clients.

This training will provide:

• Epidemiological data about the co-occurrence of Mental and Chemical Health concerns among HIV+ people.
• Counseling considerations when working with HIV+ clients including trauma history.
• Tips for addressing HIV+ status disclosure in therapeutic and personal settings.

In 2017, 26% of new HIV diagnoses in Minnesota were in women. Among these diagnoses, women of color are disproportionately impacted, with the bulk of new transmissions coming from heterosexual contact. Women can be considered a low-risk group for HIV, which can lead to late testing, HIV-related medical complications, and lower healthcare outcomes. This training will explore the need for better HIV prevention strategies for women and how to help meet the needs of women living with HIV. This training is well suited for health and social service provider as well as students pursuing degrees in social work, public health, nursing, and other human service disciplines.

This training will provide:

National and local epidemiological updates on HIV infections broken down by geographic area, age, race/ethnicity, and risk category to highlight how women are impacted by HIV.

• A look at the factors that put women at risk for HIV, with an emphasis on the relationship between chemical health, mental health, and sexual health.
• HIV prevention strategies for women, with an exploration of how power dynamics and sexism impact safer sex methods.
• An exploration of the unique challenges facing women living with HIV, and how service providers can help overcome those challenges.
• How to create a safe treatment/provider setting for women living with HIV.
• State and local resources for HIV prevention programs and services for women living with HIV.

Understanding transmission basics of bloodborne pathogens can help keep care providers safe while they provide critical services to their clients. In this training, we cover HIV, Hepatitis C, and other pathogens that can be transmitted via blood. We’ll cover the basics about the virus, testing, vaccines (if applicable), post-exposure prophylaxis, and general safety tips.