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The Provincial Addiction & Mental Health Curricula & Experiential Skills (PACES) Learning Pathway advances learners from a basic understanding to a mastery of the competencies required to assess, treat, and support recovery from addictions, mental health or co-occurring disorders.
PACES provides accessible, self-paced, and personalized Addiction & Mental Health education for all skill levels through e-learning modules, educational videos, simulated clinical scenarios, virtual skill-building sessions, and reflective practice tools.
The learning pathway consists of four learning phases, allowing individuals to develop their skills based on their unique needs.
Read: The Provincial Addiction & Mental Health Curricula & Experiential Skills Learning Pathway.
PACES consists of both Accredited Self-Assessment Learning and Simulation Activities (Section 3) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and approved by the University of Calgary Office of Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Professional Development.
Upon completion of each activity, the learner can request a CME certificate of participation.
In addition, the PACES Beginning, Developing, and Advancing phases are duly accredited by the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation.
If you have a question or require technical assistance, let us know.
ON THIS PAGE:
Accessing the Pathway|Learning Phases|Beginning Phase|Developing|Advancing|Mastering|Fostering Practice Excellence|Additional Resources
Connect to MyLearningLink through the staff intranet and search for “PACES” to complete and catalogue these modules as part of your learning record.
For learners who do not have access to MyLearningLink, the PACES modules are accessible below. To obtain your certificates of participation, complete the pre-competency survey, the post-competency survey, and the certificate request form in each module.
Surveys are collected once a week. Allow ten (10) business days (Monday-Friday excluding Saturday/Sunday and statutory holidays) to receive your certificate.
The pathway can be started at any point based on your individual knowledge level.
Unsure of where to begin? Read the Pathways to Excellence: A Competency-Based Professional Development Framework & Learning Plan Guide to develop an individualized learning plan most suited to your learning needs. Save and fill in the Recovery Alberta Competency-Based Learning Plan Template as follow-up.
This phase explores foundational concepts and expectations for the care of individuals experiencing co-occurring disorders. The maximum duration of each course is 75 minutes. The courses can be completed in any order at any time.
Read: PACES Learning Pathway - Phase 1
This phase is designed to increase knowledge gained in phase 1 (Beginning) of the pathway. It progresses beyond the fundamental AMH topic areas and focuses on the core concepts specific to concurrent disorders treatment practices. The maximum duration of each course is 75 minutes. You can complete any one or all of the following courses.
Read: PACES Learning Pathway - Phase 2
This phase features simulated Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA-Sims). EPA-Sims focus on the application of competencies required in real-life clinical practice.
A learner’s skill and knowledge become entrustable when they demonstrate the ability to independently perform complex clinical tasks safely and appropriately.
The maximum duration of each EPA-Sim is two hours. The EPA Sims can be completed in order at any time.
Read: PACES Learning Pathway - Phase 3
Currently these workshops are only available to AHS staff. Workshop schedules and registration are available through MyLearningLink.
Read: PACES Learning Pathway - Phase 4
This phase allows learners to demonstrate practical, evidence-informed skills for treating individuals experiencing substance use, mental health, or co-occurring disorders. It features clinical skills workshops that focus on practical application in the topic areas of Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Workshops do not certify attendees in the specified therapy.
The maximum duration of a workshop is three hours. There are pre-requisites to attending each of the workshops that must be completed prior to registration. The workshops can be completed in any order, at any time. Upon completion, your certificate of participation will be available in MyLearningLink.
This phase extends the PACES Learning Pathway beyond personal mastery into shared leadership, reflective dialogue, and system-wide practice uplift. Building on the previous phases that develop core competencies for assessing, treating, and supporting individuals with addictions, mental health concerns, and co-occurring disorders, this phase focuses on strengthening the collective quality of clinical practice.
In this phase, clinical leaders support practice through sharing knowledge and experience with peers, contributing to reflective conversations, and guiding others in applying evidence-informed approaches. The emphasis is on collaboration, insight, and cultivating a culture of continual growth.
Read: PACES Learning Pathway – Phase 5.
A core component of this phase is the Clinical Supervision & Practice Support Toolkit.
Below are handouts to be used in tandem with this toolkit.
This initiative has received no commercial sponsorship support. It was planned to achieve scientific integrity, objectivity, and balance, highlighting the most current practice standards and guidelines.
The content has been compiled by a committee of experts recognized for their clinical expertise in the treatment of Addiction & Mental Health. Each member has disclosed conflicts of interest in alignment with the National Standard for Support of Accredited CPD Activities.
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