University of Wisconsin–Madison

UW-CTRI updates the Bucket Approach training

Bucket

UW-CTRI has updated the popular Bucket Approach training, a strategy that professionals in behavioral healthcare can use to help patients quit tobacco use.

Created in 2017 by now-retired UW-CTRI Distinguished Scientist Dr. Bruce Christiansen, the idea of the Bucket Approach is that individuals with severe mental illness, who smoke at higher rates than the general public and struggle more to quit, can be efficiently sorted by inclination to quit into “buckets” as a way to best empower them to quit.

Beacon House staff embrace the Bucket Approach

UW-CTRI Outreach Director Karen Conner led the updates to the training, and the following group assisted her on the planning team: Dr. Hasmeena Kathuria, Allie Gorrilla, Sarah Thompson, Susan Lundsten, Kate Kobinsky, Dr. Jesse Kaye and Dr. Brooke Anderson.

“The Bucket Approach training has been extremely popular since it became available online in 2018,” Conner said. “While much of the information in Course 2 of the training is still relevant and current, the planning team decided it was time to update the modules in Course 1. Allie, Sarah and Susan really stepped up in helping me create new outlines and content for the modules, and they, along with Hasmeena and Kate, volunteered to record presentations for the new modules. We all knew it would be a big undertaking, but the time spent on updating the course was well worth it. I’d like to personally thank everyone who was involved in the process.”

All interventions are tailored to smokers who are affected by mental illness and/or other addictions. The Bucket Approach Training is a free online training that includes free CE credit, accessible here.

Learners first must complete the “Enrollment Questions” and can then proceed to Course 1. Learners must complete Course 1 before they can move on to Course 2. Direct links to each course are below: