Choose a course that fits your role

KU Tobacco Treatment Education (KU TTE) offers two training programs to support professionals working in tobacco treatment and recovery. Explore the course details to find the best fit for your role and goals.

Jump to a course:

• Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS)
• Support for Tobacco Recovery Training (STaRT)

Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS)

What is Tobacco Treatment Specialist training course

A Tobacco Treatment Specialists training course is for professionals who want to provide treatment for individuals seeking to stop using tobacco. This intensive and prestigious training prepares providers to deliver behavioral support and the knowledge to select the best medications for consumers.

TTS training is an opportunity for anyone currently providing care in a behavioral health setting to master the necessary core competencies to provide evidenced-based treatment for tobacco dependence, as well as gain knowledge, experience and resources to better their practice.

Benefits of Becoming a TTS

When you become a Tobacco Treatment Specialist, you join an elite group of tobacco treatment champions who understand the basics of nicotine dependence and why it is so hard to quit. You will gain skills and knowledge to provide accurate health education, be able to motivate tobacco users to quit, develop evidence-based treatment plans and provide effective follow-up and the ability to train others to provide tobacco treatment.

Learn about:

• Pharmacotherapy for tobacco cessation
• Cessation medication coverage by private and public insurance plans
• Opportunities for reimbursement
• Additional resources for treating tobacco dependence
• Tailored treatment for diverse populations
• Evidence-based treatment for e-cigarette use (vaping)

Understand how to:

• Build a tobacco treatment program at your agency
• Integrate tobacco treatment into your practice
• Meet Joint Commission, meaningful use and other regulatory requirements for treating tobacco use and dependence

KU TTS Course

Our course will give providers the motivation, knowledge, and skills to integrate tobacco treatment into their current practices, and to become tobacco prevention and treatment advocates. Our KU TTS training is accredited by the Council for Tobacco Treatment Training Programs and is based on a set of core competency standards for tobacco treatment specialists developed by the Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence (ATTUD) within these 11 areas:

• Tobacco Dependence Knowledge and Education
• Counseling Skills
• Assessment Interview
• Treatment Planning
• Pharmacotherapy
• Relapse Prevention
• Diversity and Specific Health Issues
• Documentation and Evaluation
• Professional Resources
• Law and Ethics
• Professional Development

Who should apply?

This intensive and prestigious training prepares clinical providers to deliver behavioral support and help clients or patients select the best medications to support tobacco cessation. They will gain knowledge, skills, experience, and resources to better their practice.

This training program is also a great opportunity for professional development and to help your organization learn about reimbursement for treating tobacco dependence, how to build a tobacco treatment program within your organization or how to meet other challenges when addressing treatment or policies at your agency.

In addition to clinical providers, health care professionals who educate others about tobacco use and dependence or manage clinical staff, as well as administrators who are responsible for organizational policies and procedures are encouraged to attend. This training is appropriate for a wide range of professionals, including:

• Health Educators
• Behavioral Health Counselors
• School Counselors
• Social Workers
• Respiratory Therapists
• Dental Hygienists
• Nurses (LPN/RN/APP)
• Physicians/physician assistants
• Peer Support Specialist/Mentors
• Community Health Workers
• Administrators
• Health/Social Service Professionals

KU TTS Curriculum

KU TTS offers two courses to accommodate the learner – KU TTS Cohort Training and KU TTS Asynchronous Training. Both training curriculums are based on a set of core competencies for tobacco treatment specialists by the Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence (ATTUD).

Section 1: Tobacco Use and Dependence Education

Section 2: Pharmacotherapy for Tobacco Dependence

Section 3: Counseling and Behavioral Support for Tobacco Dependence

Section 4: Tobacco Treatment in Special Populations

Section 5: Tobacco Treatment in Practice

Section 6: Professional Development and Ethics

Skills Building and Demonstration

Final Practical Exam

APPLY for Fall TTS Cohort

This training is offered as a self-paced 10-week course and can be completed in the spring (January – May) or fall (August – December) semesters. Trainees receive a suggested timeline to keep learning on track to complete the course within 10 weeks. Our KU TTS Cohort kicks off with a 1-hour Zoom Orientation to discuss the course and answer any questions. After orientation, the course will open to the online curriculum.

The learner will complete the course content during the allotted time and come together via Zoom for a MANDATORY 8-hour virtual Skills Building and Demonstration Day to reinforce concepts and allow trainees additional opportunities to network and practice their skills.

To successfully complete the course and qualify for a certificate of completion, trainees must complete the entire online course, including the course evaluation, take part in the one-day virtual (8-hour) mandatory workshop, and pass a short practical exam.

For KU TTS course information contact:

MeLinda Lair, Program Manager
(913)-945-7888 (Office)
mlair@kumc.edu or tobaccoed@kumc.edu