In an effort to identify and provide innovative resources to rural communities in Region 6, we are partnering with the CMC: Foundation for Change to expand the reach of their Invitation to Change groups in our region. The CMC: Foundation for Change describes the ITC Approach as a holistic helping framework based in science and kindness, designed for the families and loved ones of people affected by substance use, as well as the professionals who support them. The model (below) is made up of three main parts: helping with Understanding, helping with Awareness, and helping with Action. At the center of it all is Practice, because learning new behavior can’t happen without it.

Learn more about the Invitation To Change Approach from the CMC: Foundation for Change.

As a part of our mission for this project, we are able to offer training to become an ITC Group facilitator at no cost to participants. In order to be eligible, you must be able to facilitate an ITC group in a rural community in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma or Texas. The first step of the application process is to complete our interest survey by February 21st. If you complete the interest survey, our team will reach out with additional instructions for the full application which is due by February 28th.

Free Training Information

Who is this training for?

The program is designed for caregivers, families, and loved ones of people with substance use disorder or addiction.

This program has also been used by professionals who support caregivers, families, and loved ones.

The Program training materials will support you in a helping journey. Participants are invited to reflect on what it means to help, reimagine the role that caregivers/loved ones can play in the change process, and learn strategies for helping.

When are the trainings?

All trainings are from 9am – 1pm CT (8am – 12pm MT)

Part 1: Invitation to Change Intensive Part 2: Group Leader Support
03/26/2025 04/16/2025
03/27/2025 04/23/2025
04/02/2025 04/30/2025
04/03/2025

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can earn up to 14 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for Part 1 of the training. However, no partial CE credits will be awarded. You are required to attend the entire training to earn CEUs. The training is approved by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) for 14 CEUs. It is also approved by the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) for 14 credit hours (provider approval number 272939). Find CE approvals by state here.

Yes! The CMC: Foundation for Change (CMC:FFC) offers a certification process to those attending the training. The ITC Level 1 Certification can be useful with employers, clients, colleagues, or others to show that you have spent enough time with the ITC Approach through training and supervision to effectively incorporate the model into your work. Level 1 Certification also indicates approval from the CMC:FFC for you to begin running an ITC group, which the CMC:FFC trainers will guide you through during the Level 1 Certification Protocol.

There is no educational requirement to become a facilitator of an ITC group. This program is designed for caregivers, families, and loved ones of people who have been affected by substance use or addiction. This program has also been used by professionals who support caregivers, families and loved ones.

Yes, all training will be conducted virtually on Zoom. For Zoom trainings, your attendance will be tracked by downloading Zoom reports, so please ensure that your display name is your full name so your attendance can be properly marked. If you are going to share a computer with another participant, you are REQUIRED to inform CMC:FFC staff prior to the training.

Our hope is that everyone will be able to attend each training session live so they can make the most of the opportunity to ask questions and engage with the trainers. However, we recognize that many of you have professional lives with previously scheduled conflicts and also, sometimes life happens and you might have to miss unexpectedly. Each session will be recorded and can be made available to you as an opportunity to make up the missed session on a case by case basis. You must attend the majority of the sessions live in order to receive your certification. If you’re using this training for CEUs, please refer to the details about required attendance in that answer.

Your training and facilitation support from CMC: Foundation for Change will be fully funded through this project and we will provide all necessary materials and marketing support for your first ITC group implementation. We recognize that facilitating a 15-session group is a considerable time commitment, especially for individuals working outside of their professional role. We are able to offer financial support to assist facilitators in the successful implementation of their groups to a limited number of facilitators. This support can help offset costs related to facilitation, ensuring accessibility and sustainability.

Yes, as a facilitator, you will play a key role in recruiting participants for your ITC group. Since you serve as the local point of contact, this is a valuable opportunity to build rapport with future group members. Our team is available to support you by developing marketing materials (and printing if needed) and offering optional check-ins to discuss recruitment strategies, address any concerns, and ensure a smooth facilitation process.

ITC groups are designed for caregivers, families, and loved ones of people with substance use disorder or addiction. In addition, ITC groups have been used by professionals who support caregivers, families, and loved ones. You can recruit any individual within one or more of these categories.

ITC groups can be facilitated virtually if that is the best fit for you and your co-leader. The CMC:FFC team has created slides that group leaders can use during the virtual ITC groups if they choose to do so. Support can be provided by our team or the CMC:FFC team for group leaders running virtual groups.

ITC groups can be held at a variety of places. Example locations used to facilitate an ITC group include outreach centers, schools, churches, and treatment facilities or you can host your ITC group virtually! If you have any community connections to some of the facilities listed above, this is a good starting place to secure a location if you prefer to lead an in-person group.

The ideal group size is between 8 and 12 individuals. We recommend over-recruiting to account for circumstances that lead to someone dropping out of the group.

There is no minimum number of sessions you can hold per week to complete the 15-session requirement.

The ITC model requires group leaders to work in pairs when facilitating a group. Ideally, both leaders should be trained in the ITC model; however, there may be opportunities for a certified individual to co-lead with someone who is not yet certified on a case by case basis.