(P197) PLAYING THE FIELD: MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE!

Background:
Considering the increasing numbers of marginally housed persons, increased encampments, and the staggering rise of syphilis and congenital syphilis, reaching people where they are is more important than ever.  Since COVID, many programs changed the way partner services are conducted.  There has been high staff turnover to folks who have little to no field experience or those needing refreshers on new challenges in the field.  To support STI/HIV programs, the CAPTC developed a series of virtual field trainings to support disease intervention staff working in the field.

Methods:
These field safety courses were delivered between June 2022 - February 2024 and provided basic skills to those new to fieldwork and more advanced skills for those who needed beyond the basics.  Utilizing top virtual learning technology and adult learning approaches, course content included basic safety precautions and guidance, assessing different dwellings, recognizing/responding to overdose, de-escalating conflict, and navigating encampments.  Qualitative and quantitative data were collected via a retrospective-post-course assessment.

Results:
Over 400 learners participated in 13 Field Safety trainings.  Evaluation data attained 64% response rate from learners (n=282).  Paired t-test analysis indicated a 30% increase in knowledge and skills attained from the courses across indicators measuring managing challenging field notification situations; describing safety guidelines to conduct field activities; de-escalating conflicts in the field; and identifying safety issues while navigating encampments.  Most respondents (93%) indicated the course met their needs; 93% expressed a high/very high confidence level to transfer knowledge/skills attained to work; and 87% reported the course to be very/extremely useful.

Conclusion:
Training staff in field safety procedures is crucial to ensure consistent partner notifications and support getting people the necessary testing and/or treatment they need and deserve.  Adhering to safety guidelines helps keep staff safe while helping to ensure access to health care and better health outcomes for those most impacted by STIs.