A pilot training program for a motivational enhancement approach to hepatitis C virus treatment among individuals in Israeli methadone treatment centers.

Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be cleared, very few infected persons complete the treatment, resulting in disease progression and transmission. Motivational interventions effectively address health and substance-use-related conditions in many cultures. The research team piloted an HCV treatment motivational enhancement training and supervision for four counselors treating four patients in one (of 11) large methadone programs in Israel between 2007 and 2008. The counselors received a 3-day training followed by seven supervision sessions. Training included cultural and language adaptation from the original United States version to practice in Israel. Feasibility was assessed and demonstrated through training field notes and questionnaire feedback, review of taped intervention sessions for counselor proficiency and patient engagement, and patient completion of intervention sessions and piloted measures. While positive feasibility outcomes were noted, future studies should employ larger numbers of counselors and patients to assess the effectiveness of motivational enhancement in promoting HCV treatment in methadone patients.