Funded by a grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Screening for Psychosocial Distress Program is a joint project of Yale University School of Nursing and the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS). The Screening for Psychosocial Distress Program trains cancer care providers on how to develop, implement, and maintain psychosocial screening programs within their facilities, in order to meet the Commission on Cancer’s (CoC) new quality care standard. The CoC is a program of the American College of Surgeons. Applications to attend are now being accepted. The deadline for submission is April 1, 2015.
With an international faculty of leading psychosocial cancer care professionals and researchers, the program will train two cancer care providers from a single cancer care facility over 2 years. The first year includes a beginning 1-day workshop held at the APOS conference in Washington, DC, on July 29, 2015, and continues with four conference call teaching sessions throughout the year. The second year includes an advanced 1-day workshop and two conference call teaching sessions throughout the year.
Having two providers from each cancer care facility attend the training will enhance the successful implementation and the ongoing maintenance of a psychosocial screening program. Funding for the Screening for Psychosocial Distress Program covers the APOS conference registration and allows for a stipend for each person toward covering the cost of attending the program. The program enrolls up to 18 cancer care facilities each year, for a total of 36 participants. More information and an application can be found at http://apos-society.org/APOS/Distress_Screening_Program/Distress_Home.aspx. ■
