PACES Training

Information for Health Professionals

The Provincial Addiction & Mental Health Curricula & Experiential Skills (PACES) Training advances learners from a basic understanding to a mastery of the competencies required to assess and treat primary addiction and/or psychiatric comorbidities.

PACES provides accessible, self-paced, and personalized Addiction & Mental Health education for all skill levels through e-learning modules, educational videos, simulated patient scenarios, and virtual skill-building sessions.

The learning pathway consists of four learning phases, allowing individuals to develop their skills based on their unique needs.

Read The Provincial Addiction and 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.

A modern web browser such as Edge, Firefox, or Chrome is required to access PACES.


The Pathway

AHS Staff
Search for PACES in MyLearningLink to register. Upon completing a module, your certificate of participation will be available on MyLearningLink.

Non-AHS Staff
For non-AHS staff, PACES modules are accessible below. To obtain your certificates of participation, please complete the pre-competency survey, the post-competency survey, and the certificate request form in each module. 

Learning Phases

Beginning | Developing | Advancing | Mastering

The pathway can be started at any point based on your individual knowledge level.

Beginning Phase

This phase explores foundational concepts and expectations for the care of individuals experiencing concurrent 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

Developing Phase

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

Advancing Phase

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

Mastering Phase

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 concurrent 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.

Acknowledgements, Faculty & Planning Committee Disclosures

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.