A variety of modalities would be appropriate, including live webinar/teleconference, recorded webinar, or a self-paced eLearning course, with inclusion of a post-test.  Additionally, interactive skill-based is training is essential to ensure proficiency in navigating interactions with COVID-19 patients, such as gathering information about contacts.

Content describing non-CDC tools on this site is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to indicate endorsement, actual or implied, of the tools. Additionally, information on this site is provided “as is,” for users to evaluate and make their own determination as to their effectiveness.

Topic areas and training resources

Foundational principles of public health

• General
• Relevant terminology
  • Case definition
  • Public health jurisdiction’s case investigation terminology
  • Terms that may be used in other jurisdictions (e.g., other states, federal)
• Introduction to case investigation
  • General
  • Define case investigation
  • Describe basic steps of case investigation
    • Case identification and prioritization
    • Notification of positive test results
    • Interview
    • Follow-up and next steps
  • Describe skills and qualities necessary for case investigators
    • Active listening skills, including the use of open-ended questions
    • Motivational interviewing skills
    • Risk communication, problem solving, emotional intelligence skills
    • Cultural sensitivity
    • Adaptations for patients with communication impairments and non-English speakers

Training catalog

Every Contact Counts: Contact Tracing for Public Health Professionals

Topic area: Foundational principles of public health, introduction to case investigation, define case investigation, motivational interviewing skills, risk communication, problem solving, emotional intelligence skills, cultural sensitivity, adaptations for contacts with communication impairments

• Register: https://www.train.org/main/course/1091492/external icon
• Target audience: Public health professionals who are new to contact tracing; Volunteers with a basic understanding of public health
• Description: Contact tracing is an evidence-based way to slow the spread of infectious disease. It is the process of interviewing individuals who have been infected with a disease, identifying close contacts that they may have unknowingly exposed, and providing those contacts with the information needed to monitor their own health and prevent the continued spread of the illness. Learning effective contact tracing practices can help prevent further spread of COVID-19. This 90-minute online course developed by the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice in partnership with the Kansas Health Foundation will rapidly train public health workers in the subject of contact tracing. Within this module, you will learn more about what contact tracing is, why it is an effective tool to slow the spread of COVID-19, and how to practice contact tracing successfully

Learning Objectives:

1. Define contact tracing
2. Describe the important role contact tracers have in protecting the public
3. Identify criteria that determine whether someone is a potential contact
4. Identify the key components of a successful contact tracing interview
5. Apply principles of successful contact tracing interviews to a mock interview scenario
6. Conduct contact tracing interviews with professionalism and sensitivity.

COVID-19 Contact Tracing

Topic area: Foundational principles of public health, introduction to case investigation, define case investigation, motivational interviewing skills, risk communication, problem solving, emotional intelligence skills, cultural sensitivity, adaptations for contacts with communication impairments

• Register: https://www.train.org/main/course/1091439/external icon
• Target audience: General public
• Description: The COVID-19 crisis has created an unprecedented need for contact tracing across the country, requiring thousands of people to learn key skills quickly. The job qualifications for contact tracing positions differ throughout the country and the world, with some new positions open to individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent. In this introductory course, students will learn about the science of SARS-CoV-2 , including the infectious period, the clinical presentation of COVID-19, and the evidence for how SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted from person-to-person and why contact tracing can be such an effective public health intervention. Students will learn about how contact tracing is done, including how to build rapport with cases, identify their contacts, and support both cases and their contacts to stop transmission in their communities. The course will also cover several important ethical considerations around contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine. Finally, the course will identify some of the most common barriers to contact tracing efforts — along with strategies to overcome them.

Learning objectives:

1. Describe the natural history of SARS-CoV-2, including the infectious period, the presentation of COVID-19, and evidence for how it is transmitted
2. Define an infectious contact and timeline for public health intervention through contact tracing
3. Demonstrate the utility of case investigation and contact tracing, identify common barriers, and possible strategies to overcome them
4. Present some ethical considerations around contact tracing, isolation and quarantine

Making Contact: A Training for COVID-19 Contact Tracers: Effective Communication and Interviews – Lesson 3

Topic areas: Introduction to case investigation, define case investigation, motivational interviewing skills, risk communication, problem solving, emotional intelligence skills, cultural sensitivity, adaptations for contacts with communication impairments

• Register: https://www.train.org/main/course/1091302/compilationexternal icon
• Target audience: Contact tracers and case investigators
• Description: As a contact tracer, you will conduct interviews with people who may have been exposed to COVID-19. Depending on how your team is organized, you may also conduct interviews with persons under investigation (PUIs). Lesson 3 (Effective Communication and Interviews) will provide information on how to use effective communication techniques, prepare for and conduct an interview, and approach your interactions with cultural humility. Some of these terms may be new to you, and we’ll cover them as we move through the lesson. Please note, lessons must be completed in order from one to four.

Learning objectives:

1. Name at least three communication techniques for effective interviewing
2. Explain the importance of showing cultural humility during case interviews
3. Describe how to prepare for an interview
4. Explain the four parts of an interview

Covid-19 Epidemiology Grand Rounds

Topic area: Introduction to case investigation

Learning objectives:

Not available

An Introduction to Follow-up for Positive COVID-19 Cases and their close Contacts

Topic area: Introduction to case investigation

Learning objectives:

Not available

TB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills Course: Introduction to Contact Investigation Process

Topic areas: Define case investigation, motivational interviewing skills

• View: https://www.cdc.gov/tb/education/skillscourse/default.htm
• Target audience: Public health professionals
• Description: The TB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills Course is designed as an interactive, skill-building training. The course provides an overview of the contact investigation process, basic communication and interviewing skills, and opportunities to apply those skills in role play activities.

Learning objectives:

1. Explain the purpose of a TB contact investigation
2. Describe core concepts and skills that are required to conduct a TB contact investigation
3. Determine when to initiate a TB contact investigation
4. Describe the systematic approach to conducting a TB contact investigation

TB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills Course: Interview Question Types

Topic area: Active listening skills

• View: https://www.cdc.gov/tb/education/skillscourse/default.htm
• Target audience: Public health professionals
• Description: The TB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills Course is designed as an interactive, skill-building training. The course provides an overview of the contact investigation process, basic communication and interviewing skills, and opportunities to apply those skills in role play activities.

Learning objectives:

1. Describe four types of interview questions
2. List questioning pitfalls to avoid

COVID-19 Case Investigation Part 2: Index Interview

Topic area: Introduction to case investigation

Learning objectives:

Not available

General Contact Tracing Phone Calls

Topic area: Define case investigation

• Register: https://www.train.org/main/course/1091008/external icon
• Target audience: Volunteer callers for Michigan
• Description: This training is a generalized contact tracing training to prepare volunteers for assisting and completing contact calls for persons who have been exposed to COVID19. The training briefly describes why contact training is important and what the process of contact training calls entails.

Learning objectives:

1.  Discuss what is contact tracing and why it is important
2. Discuss how to de-escalate difficult conversations
3. Discuss the script when calling someone exposed
4. Describe resources available to you to answer questions
5. Review how you will be receiving contacts, how you should be documenting and sharing the information you have gathered, to whom you should be reporting, and how often

TB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills Course: Interviewing for TB Contact Investigation

Topic areas: Interview, risk communication, problem solving, emotional intelligence skills

• View: https://www.cdc.gov/tb/education/skillscourse/default.htm
• Target audience: Public health professionals
• Description: The TB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills Course is designed as an interactive, skill-building training. The course provides an overview of the contact investigation process, basic communication and interviewing skills, and opportunities to apply those skills in role play activities.

Learning objectives:

1. Describe the objectives of the initial case interview
2. List the steps of the interview format
3. Describe ways to confront and solve problems that may arise during the interview

COVID-19 Contact Investigation Training

Topic area: Motivational interviewing skills

Learning objectives:

1. Discuss COVID-19 background
2. Discuss case investigation tools
3. Identify investigation interview techniques
4. Discuss types of contact follow-up
5. Identify COVID case and contact investigation resources

Effective Interviewing for Contact Investigation: Self-Study Modules

Topic area: Motivational interviewing skills

Learning objectives:

1. Define a TB interview
2. Formulate a TB interview strategy
3. Identify who requires a TB interview and for what reasons
4. Prioritize TB interviews based on various factors
5. Determine an infectious period for contact identification
6. Conduct a TB interview in a logical and productive manner
7. Conduct a re-interview asking the appropriate follow-up questions
8. Explain why patient education is important in the TB interview process
9. Define communication
10. Identify verbal and nonverbal patient cues and their meanings
11. Use closed, open-ended, and focused questions to gather descriptive, yet targeted information
12. Utilize the techniques of reflection, paraphrasing, and summarizing to affect the course of the interview
13.  Address and overcome communication barriers
14.  Select, and communicate through, an appropriate interpreter
15. Apply effective communication concepts to patient education
16. Describe the concepts of culture and cultural competency
17. Identify various factors that contribute to an individual’s culture
18. Understand why cultural competency is essential in TB interviewing
19. Assess the communication process based on a patient’s verbal and nonverbal cues
20. Limit the barriers of language, dialect, lifestyle, and belief differences during an interview
21. Describe how TB interviews may vary depending on the patient’s life circumstances
22. Decide when to use, how to choose, and how to interview a proxy
23. Conduct a source case interview by selecting an appropriate interviewee and eliciting appropriate contact and exposure setting information
24. Conduct interviews in outbreak circumstances
25. Understand social network analysis and the role the interviewer plays

Introduction to Telephone Interviewing for DIS

Topic area: Motivational interviewing skills

• Watch: https://www.train.org/main/course/1090632external icon
• Target audience: STD partner services providers
• Description: This module will introduce partner services providers (i.e., DIS) to the basic principles and best practices for conducting telephone interviews. It covers professionalism, confidentiality and cultural competency. Learners also learn how to prepare for and conduct a telephone interview.

Learning objectives:

1. Demonstrate confidence when planning and conducting telephone interviews
2. Understand principles and best practices for conducting telephone interviews
3. Improve communication skills and maximize interviewing effectiveness

COVID-19 Public Health Strategy Basic Concepts – NDPHTN

Topic areas: Risk communication, problem solving, and emotional intelligence skills

• Register: https://www.train.org/main/course/1090675/external icon
• Target audience: Public health professionals
• Description: Provides a basic background to the COVID-19 pandemic and describes the important steps to flatten the curve of COVID-19. Also provides an overview of crisis communication strategies and coordinating crisis response.

Learning objectives:

1. Review coronavirus history
2. Review COVID-19 characteristics
3. Discuss 6 concepts to flatten the curve
4. Review the 10 social distancing recommendations
5. Review COVID-19 testing concepts
6. Discuss how cocooning protects high-risk individuals
7. Discuss key concepts of crisis communications in pandemics

CERC Overview for COVID-19

Topic areas: Risk communication, problem solving, and emotional intelligence skills

Learning objectives:

1.  Define the six crisis and emergency risk communication (CERC) principles
2. Describe the lifecycle of CERC and how communication works at each phase of a crisis
3. Describe how emergency risk communication is different from regular communication
4. Describe the psychology of a crisis
5. Describe the process for gathering audience feedback
6. Describe how to tailor messages to target audiences
7. Develop a crisis communication plan
8. List best practices of a spokesperson
9. Explain best practices for engaging stakeholders through communication during an emergency

Communication Skills

Topic areas: Risk communication, problem solving, and emotional intelligence skills

• Register: https://www.train.org/main/course/1089357/external icon
• Target audience: STD partner services providers
• Description: Provides learners with an understanding of the basic communication skills necessary for partner services providers, and to give them opportunities to practice those communication skills. This module also focuses on various problem solving techniques, and the importance of maintaining an assertive stance.

Learning objectives:

1. Describe factors associated with good communication
2. Identify barriers to communication
3. Define assertive, non-assertive, and aggressive communication and explain the distinctions between them

Disaster Health Core Curriculum: Competency 4: Communication

Topic areas: Risk communication, problem solving, and emotional intelligence skills

Learning objectives:

1. Explain the operational relevance of the following concepts in the context of public health crisis risk communication: risk perception, mental noise, trust determination, and negative dominance
2. Explain the relevance of cultural competency in the context of public health emergency risk communication
3. Identify strategies to communicate in a culturally competent fashion in public health emergencies and disaster events
4. Identify authoritative sources for information gathering in a public health crisis and disasters that can inform effective emergency risk communication during and after these events
5. Demonstrate the features and utility of a message map as a tool for public health emergency risk communication

TB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills Course: Communication Skills for Building Rapport During Contact Investigation Interviewing

Topic areas: Risk communication, problem solving, emotional intelligence skills

• View: https://www.cdc.gov/tb/education/skillscourse/default.htm
• Target audience: Public health professionals
• Description: The TB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills Course is designed as an interactive, skill-building training. The course provides an overview of the contact investigation process, basic communication and interviewing skills, and opportunities to apply those skills in role play activities.

Learning objectives:

1. Describe how to build rapport
2. List at least six effective communication skills
3. Describe assertive, passive, and aggressive behavior

TB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills Course: Special Circumstances

Topic areas: Risk communication, problem solving, emotional intelligence skills

• View: https://www.cdc.gov/tb/education/skillscourse/default.htm
• Target audience: Public health professionals
• Description: The TB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills Course is designed as an interactive, skill-building training. The course provides an overview of the contact investigation process, basic communication and interviewing skills, and opportunities to apply those skills in role play activities.

Learning objectives:

1. Decide when to use a proxy for an interview
2. Explain how to work with the management of congregate settings
3. List two strategies for working with the media during a contact investigation

Health Literacy for Public Health Professionals

Topic area: Cultural sensitivity

• Register: https://www.train.org/main/course/1078759/external icon
• Target audience: Public health professionals
• Description: The purpose of this web-based training program is to educate health professionals about public health literacy and their role in providing health information and services and promoting public health literacy. The course uses a 508-compliant template, knowledge checks, scenario-based interactions, video clips, and a post-test to engage learners. The course includes an evaluation, glossary, and resource list.

Learning objectives:

1. Define public health literacy
2. List factors that influence public health literacy
3. Identify who is affected by public health literacy
4. Identify consequences of limited public health literacy
5. Determine who the stakeholders in public health literacy are
6. Recognize the role of public health literacy in meeting core public health services
7. Apply lessons learned to improve public health literacy

COVID-19 Case and Contact Investigations Training for Tribes

Topic area: Cultural sensitivity

Learning objectives:

1. Describe why case and contact investigation is important for tribes
2. Discuss COVID-19 background
3. Identify investigation interview techniques
4. Discuss case investigation tools
5. Discuss public health recommendations for contacts
6. Discuss types of contact follow-up
7. Identify COVID case and contact investigation resources

TB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills Course: Cultural and Diversity Considerations

Topic area: Cultural sensitivity

• View: https://www.cdc.gov/tb/education/skillscourse/default.htm
• Target audience: Public health professionals
• Description: The TB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills Course is designed as an interactive, skill-building training. The course provides an overview of the contact investigation process, basic communication and interviewing skills, and opportunities to apply those skills in role play activities.

Learning objectives:

1. Define cultural competency
2. State of the four elements of cross-cultural communication

The Guide to Providing Effective Communication and Language Assistance Services

Topic area: Cultural sensitivity, adaptations for contacts with communication impairments

Learning objectives:

1. Cross-cultural communication skills
2. Verbal communication strategies
3. Written communication strategies
4. Notice of communication and language assistance services

Cultural Competency Program for Disaster Preparedness and Crisis Response

Topic area: Cultural sensitivity

• Register: https://thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/education/disaster-personnelexternal icon
• Target audience: Any disaster or emergency response personnel interested in learning more about culturally and linguistically appropriate services
• Description: Research shows that cultural minority groups suffer disproportionately during every phase of a disaster. This e-learning program will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to best serve all individuals, regardless of cultural or linguistic background.

Learning objectives:

1. Course 1 provides an introduction to CLAS and its relevance to disaster preparedness and crisis response.
2. Course 2 covers how to provide CLAS during the preparation phase of a disaster, including conducting a community needs assessment
3. Course 3 covers how to provide CLAS during the response phase of a disaster, including meeting physical and mental health needs
4. Course 4 covers how to provide CLAS during the recovery phase of a disaster, including rebuilding neighborhoods

Implicit Bias in Public Health Practice

Topic area: Cultural sensitivity

• Register: https://www.mitrainingcenter.org/courses/ibpha1219external icon
• Target audience: Public health professionals
• Description: The field of public health increasingly focuses on health equity and population health outcomes. While systemic factors are major drivers of inequities, what is the role of the individual? This recorded webinar will introduce the idea of implicit bias and how it is relevant to all public health professionals, regardless of discipline or role in an agency. Participants will learn key definitions, examine data showing the implications of implicit bias in public health, and discuss some strategies to prevent it. Ultimately, no matter how well-intended, we all have some biases we can address to improve our positive impact on population health and on each other.

Learning objectives:

1. Define implicit bias and its relation to public health practice
2. Reflect on personal and professional biases
3. Introduce bias busting techniques

Cross-Cultural Communications Cognition and Linguistics-NDPHTN

Topic area: Cultural sensitivity

• Register: https://www.train.org/main/course/1087168/external icon
• Target audience: Public health professionals
• Description: This training is facilitated through the North Dakota Public Health Training network to explain cross-cultural communications, cognition and linguistics

Learning objectives:

1. Describe the process of developing meaning in message respondents
2. Explain how meaning transfer relates to the communications model
3. Recognize the importance of the seven dimensions of cultural distance in cross-cultural communications
4. Describe the tri-systemic model of cognition and how that model applies to public health communications
5. Demonstrate the importance of stories for transmitting meaning in relationship cultures
6. Describe the breadth of worldwide languages and dialects
7. Describe the role of languages
8. Describe three basic steps to overcome language barriers
9. Explain the importance of horizontal communicators in effective community messaging
10. Briefly explain the importance of the semantic differential and language impact on culture

Cultural Humility: People, Principles, and Practice

Topic area: Cultural sensitivity

• Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaSHLbS1V4w
• Target audience: Public health professionals
• Description: “Cultural Humility: People, Principles and Practices,” is a 30-minute documentary by San Francisco State professor Vivian Chávez, that mixes poetry with music, interviews, archival footage, and images of community, nature and dance to explain what Cultural Humility is and why we need it. The film describes a set of principles that guide the thinking, behavior and actions of individuals and institutions to positively affect interpersonal relationships as well as systems change.

Learning objectives:

1. Lifelong learning and critical self-reflection
2. Recognizing and changing power imbalances
3. Developing institutional accountability

Culturally Competent Public Health Practice for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Populations

Topic area: Adaptations for contacts with communication impairments

• Register: https://www.train.org/cdctrain/main/1087468/external icon
• Target audience: Public health and healthcare professionals
• Description: This training will present tools and knowledge for working with the deaf and hard of hearing community, as well as common misconceptions about deaf culture and sub-cultures within the community.

Learning objectives:

1. Create awareness of deaf culture and sub-cultures within the deaf community
2. Discuss the benefits and importance of working with a sign interpreter
3. Identify gaps in health literacy among the deaf community
4. Formulate best methods for working with deaf and hard of hearing community

Other files and webpages

Topic area: Foundational principles of public heath

Topic area: Introduction to case investigation

Source: https://tools.cdc.gov/api/embed/downloader/download.asp?m=403372&c=407151