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Team Readiness
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NGB SAP has adapted a science-based, Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Model
program, for the National Guard entitled Team
Readiness.
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The curriculum has been established to enhance communication
and
support within guard units/wings by addressing (behavioral
and health) risks associated with reduced readiness,
particularly risks for substance abuse. Prevention
Coordinators have been certified as Team Readiness
facilitators.
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Team Readiness consists of five mini modules that are
designed to provide a fast paced, engaging, and brief 20-30
minute presentation. Those units/wings that are indentified as
at high risk can choose one or more modules to be delivered
to unit by the Prevention Coordinator as part of the four
hours annual substance abuse education requirement.
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Module
1: Importance to
You and Your Unit/Wing |
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The
relevance or importance module seeks to help participants
understand that substance abuse and related risks either are or
can become a relevant concern for them. The concern may be
personal, family or co-worker related.
It could be in terms of safety problems or having to pick
up the slack for troubled guard members or colleagues.
The first module begins to touch on the motivation for
getting help or encouraging help-seeking in others.
The motivation to reduce risks may be seen as the
foundation of the training.
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Module
2: Team Ownership
of Policy: Risks and Strengths |
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The
policy ownership module describes how policy is a safeguard or
protective factor in that it encourages guard members to get
help. Guard members
should get such help before a problem reaches the point where
they are either disciplined or run the risk of receiving a
positive drug test.
The module downplays the “rules and regulations” or bureaucratic
aspects of policy.
Instead, policy is presented as a helpful tool that units or
groups can use for reducing the risks identified in the
orientation (1) module.
Those aspects of policy that encourage prevention,
awareness, and help-seeking are emphasized.
Ideally, policy information should be provided in the
context of more personal ideas and concerns.
In this way, module 2 builds on module 1.
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Module
3: Reducing Stigma
& Tolerance and Increasing Responsiveness |
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Facilitators present the idea that written or “formal” policy
may be very different from the “informal” ways that employees
interpret and enact policy.
Supervisors and unit members may know what policy says or
know “the right thing to do.”
However, personal beliefs and social norms can cause them
to tolerate rather than respond to problems more proactively or
directly.
Facilitators introduce the concept of “drinking climates” and
how such climates may evolve when we tolerate problem drinkers.
This third tolerance and responsiveness module helps
participants understand that they have personal and group
choices to make about tolerating problems.
Responsiveness and accountability is encouraged.
This module builds on the policy module by showing that
such accountability is really an internal choice and that policy
is really a set of guidelines to aid in responsiveness.
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Module 4:
Stress, Problem Solving and Substance Abuse
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The stress and problem solving
module continues with the idea that individuals and groups have
a choice about how to respond to problems.
How we think about or evaluate stressors is critical to
the success of any coping effort.
We choose how to evaluate difficulties.
Our beliefs and lifestyle can support or detract from
effective coping.
Thus, stress is presented as an opportunity for problem solving.
This module builds on the concept of drinking climates by
discussing drinking as a stress response.
Healthy alternatives to coping are presented and guard
members are encouraged to solve problems together as a group.
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Module 5:
Improving Unit/Wing Communication:
Orientation to NUDGE |
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The communication module reviews
communication responsibilities in the work, training, or
deployment setting and guidelines for effective communication.
This module seeks to build on employees’ awareness of
policy (module 2), and knowledge about unit/workplace social
climate (module 3), by focusing more on the skills necessary for
communicating this awareness and knowledge effectively.
Communication is also a critical skill team problem
solving (module 4) and provides the necessary foundation for the
introduction of the peer referral (nudging) process.
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Module 6:
Encouragement:
The NUDGE Model |
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| The encouragement module is the
capstone of Team Readiness because it builds upon or uses
elements within the previous modules.
Facilitators should ask themselves these two questions
“Why would anyone want to go through the trouble of encouraging
someone else to get help for a problem?” and “Do participants
have enough motivation and knowledge to effectively use peer
referral/encouragement skills?”
It is likely that guard members themselves have to be
“nudged” in order to nudge others. |
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