CTCCC 10.0 · NIMHANS ECHO
Comprehensive Tobacco Cessation
Certificate Course
Centre for Addiction Medicine, NIMHANS · Bangalore
June – September 2026 · Every Friday 2:30 – 4:00 PM IST
Duration
30 Hours
18 hrs live · 12 hrs self-paced
Format
12 Weeks
Blended Learning
iECHO + LMS
iECHO + LMS
Audience
Counsellors
Tele-MANAS, NTQL &
Healthcare Providers
Healthcare Providers
Enrolment
35 Seats
NIMHANS Accredited
Limited intake
Limited intake
Background
Why Tobacco Cessation Training?
Tobacco use, a human-created epidemic, kills one-third to one-half of all people who use it globally. Nicotine — the principal constituent of tobacco — is highly addictive. A recent Indian study found that 83% of tobacco users want to quit, but 51% are unsuccessful due to a critical lack of trained health professionals.
Tobacco addiction is a chronic brain disease. Of those who experiment, 30 out of 100 develop neurobiological changes leading to craving, tolerance, and use despite harm. Evidence-based interventions are essential — yet most healthcare providers are under-trained.
In a study in Bihar, over two-thirds of medical doctors felt the need for more training on tobacco cessation. This certificate course is designed to increase professional skills in tobacco cessation among counsellors, dentists, physicians, and specialists.
Quick Summary
- Half of tobacco users want to quit (GATS survey)
- Lack of experts to provide evidence-based cessation
- Urgent need to upscale skills of HCPs
- NIMHANS ECHO proven to improve self-perceived clinical skills
- CTCCC ECHO is the structured response to this gap
What You'll Learn
Course Objectives
On completion, learners will be able to:
🔍
Identification & Screening
Screen for tobacco abuse and Tobacco Use Disorder, identifying influencing factors in patients.
📊
Severity Assessment
Assess the severity of tobacco addiction using objective, validated scales.
💬
Evidence-Based Counselling
Practice brief & extended interventions, communication skills, and relapse prevention strategies.
💊
NRT Prescription
Prescribe over-the-counter Nicotine Replacement Therapy and gain knowledge of other pharmacotherapy.
🤝
Referral Decision-Making
Determine what can be managed locally and what requires referral to a specialist centre.
Our Model
NIMHANS ECHO: Hub & Spoke
NIMHANS ECHO is an innovative capacity-building programme that uses a Hub-and-Spoke knowledge-sharing network. Expert teams from the Centre for Addiction Medicine, NIMHANS (the Hub) provide training and tele-mentoring to healthcare professionals across India (the Spokes).
Each ECHO session features anonymised patient case presentations by participants, expert discussion with the NIMHANS hub team, and a brief didactic on an addiction topic — all delivered via smartphone app and multipoint videoconferencing.
Through routine coaching and mentoring, healthcare providers progressively acquire the knowledge and skills to independently manage patients with tobacco use disorder within their own communities.
90-Minute Session Structure
5 min
Introduction, Announcements & Clarifications
15 min
Didactic-Based Interactive Quiz
Content available in advance on iecho.org
15 min
Didactic / Roleplay
Led by subject experts
50 min
Case Presentations by Participants
Two cases per session
5 min
Anonymous Feedback
Curriculum
Learning Modules
Three progressive modules over 12 weeks, anchored in real-life case-based learning.
I
Tobacco Addiction – Overview
Weeks 1–3 · 19 Jun – 10 Jul 2026
Objectives
- Recognize and describe the epidemiology and etiopathogenesis of Tobacco Use Disorder
- Define and explain public health challenges, tobacco control policies, and legislation
- Understand the addictive properties of nicotine and neurobiological changes
Topics covered: Course overview & digital tools · Tobacco public health challenges · Addictive properties of tobacco · Policy and legislation (COTPA, FCTC, MPOWER)
II
Tobacco Addiction – Assessment & Management
Weeks 4–9 · 17 Jul – 21 Aug 2026
Objectives
- Evaluate the patient's tobacco addiction comprehensively
- Formulate a management plan for Tobacco Use Disorder
- Apply the 5A's framework (Ask, Assess, Advise, Assist, Arrange)
- Use NRT effectively and understand other pharmacotherapy options
- Introduce Motivational Interviewing (OARS skills) in clinical practice
Topics covered: Communication skills · History taking & severity assessment · 5As and 5Rs · Brief & extended interventions · Nicotine Replacement Therapy · ASSIST · Motivational Interviewing I & II
III
Enhancing Motivation & Preventing Relapse
Weeks 10–12 · 28 Aug – 11 Sep 2026
Objectives
- Define and explain the process of motivation enhancement and relapse prevention
- Integrate motivational enhancement and relapse prevention techniques into management plans
- Understand special populations: adolescents, elderly, women, and pregnant women
- Apply confidentiality & privacy principles in telephonic counselling
- Use referral pathways and linkages to treatment services
Topics covered: Relapse counselling · Special populations · Confidentiality in telephonic counselling · Referral pathways · Coping skills & trigger management
Schedule
Week-by-Week Programme
Every Friday, 2:30 – 4:00 PM IST on iECHO / Zoom
| Week | Date | Didactic / Interactive Quiz Topic | Case Facilitator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📘 Module I — Tobacco Addiction: Overview | |||
| Wk 1 | 19 Jun 2026 | Inauguration · Overview of course & digital tools | Dr Prabhat · Ms Mahasweta · Ms Tejdeepika |
| Wk 2 | 3 Jul 2026 | Tobacco: Public Health Challenges Roleplay: "Turning Policy Friction into Quitting Fuel" |
Dr Shivam Gakkhar & Ms Mahasweta |
| Wk 3 | 10 Jul 2026 | Addictive Properties of Tobacco Drill: Voice-Based Withdrawal Assessment |
Dr Abhishek Manoharan & Ms Tejdeepika |
| 📋 Assignment I | 18 Jul 2026 (Saturday) — Objective type · Module 1 + case discussions | Platform: ZOOM | |
| 📗 Module II — Tobacco Addiction: Assessment & Management | |||
| Wk 4 | 17 Jul 2026 | Communication Skills – Initiating a Conversation (Part 1) Roleplay: OARS skills |
Dr Astut Kurariya & Ms Mahasweta |
| Wk 5 | 24 Jul 2026 | Initiating a Conversation (Part 2) · Severity Assessment Roleplay: History taking during telephonic counselling |
Dr Babli Kumari & Ms Tejdeepika |
| Wk 6 | 31 Jul 2026 | Brief Intervention – 5As and 5Rs Roleplay: 5A activity for 5R |
Dr Sreya Mukherjee & Ms Mahasweta |
| Wk 7 | 7 Aug 2026 | Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Roleplay: Helping clients use NRT effectively |
Dr Duvvri Pranavi & Ms Tejdeepika |
| Wk 8 | 14 Aug 2026 | ASSIST · Motivational Interviewing I Roleplay: Addressing ambivalence & enhancing motivation |
Dr V M Rajamani & Ms Mahasweta |
| Wk 9 | 21 Aug 2026 | ASSIST · Motivational Interviewing II Roleplay: Coping skills & trigger management |
Dr Aishwariya Jha & Ms Tejdeepika |
| 📋 Assignment II | 22 Aug 2026 (Saturday) — 25% Module 1 · 75% Module 2 + case discussions | Platform: ZOOM | |
| 📙 Module III — Enhancing Motivation & Preventing Relapse | |||
| Wk 10 | 28 Aug 2026 | Relapse Counselling Special Populations: adolescents, elderly, women, pregnant women |
Dr Nandhini P B & Ms Mahasweta |
| Wk 11 | 4 Sep 2026 | Relapse Counselling II Confidentiality in telephonic counselling · Referral pathways |
Hub Team |
| Wk 12 | 11 Sep 2026 | Open Session / Wrap-up | Hub Team |
| 📋 Assignment III | 12 Sep 2026 — Subjective / Case-based | Platform: iecho.org | |
| ✅ Post-test | 21 Sep 2026 | ||
Important Dates
Course Timeline
All timelines must be followed strictly to qualify for accreditation.
| Event | Start / Attempt 1 | Close / Attempt 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-test | 12 Jun 2026 | 16 Jun 2026 |
| Course Commencement | 19 Jun 2026 | 11 Sep 2026 |
| Warm-up Quiz | 14 Jul 2026 | 16 Jul 2026 |
| Assignment I (Objective) | 18 Jul 2026 | 18 Jul 2026 |
| Assignment II (Objective) | 22 Aug 2026 | 22 Aug 2026 |
| Assignment III (Subjective) | 12 Sep 2026 | 12 Sep 2026 |
| Post-test | 21 Sep 2026 | 27 Sep 2026 |
| Accreditation Verification & Certificates | 30 Sep 2026 | Within 1 month of completion |
Requirements
Accreditation Criteria
As per NIMHANS Digital Academy Board of Studies. All criteria must be fulfilled.
📋 To Receive the Certificate
- Attendance: ≥75% of sessions (9/12) with >60 min video presence per session, measured by software
- Case Presentation: One case summary presented during a live tele-ECHO session
- Three Assignments: Two on Zoom (Saturdays); one on iECHO / Jotform platform
- Monthly Reports: Reports of patients seen — a sample form will be provided
- Pre-test & Post-test: Both must be completed (no scoring involved)
📝 About the Assignments
- Cover all previous sessions; case-based, MCQ, match-the-following, short essays
- Negative marking applies
- Two attempts allowed per assignment; second attempt requires first to be submitted
- Each attempt carries a different set of questions
- Approximately 1/3 of questions from previous modules
- Must be taken on laptop / PC / tablet with webcam enabled
Note: Certificate is a by-product of this programme. The core philosophy is democratizing knowledge through case-based learning. There is NO participation certificate.
Post-Accreditation
Core Competencies
✅ What Accredited Champions Can Do
- Assess for tobacco use among patients, clients, and persons
- Estimate severity using structured, validated scales
- Provide brief intervention and extended interventions based on motivation enhancement
- Plan and implement relapse prevention strategies
- All professionals: Provide Nicotine Gum 2 mg as an over-the-counter agent
- Physicians & Dentists: Prescribe other NRT and non-NRT pharmacotherapy
⚠️ When to Refer to Higher Centres
- Patients with comorbid moderate-to-severe psychiatric disorders
- Patients with associated severe substance use disorders
Accredited participants are not qualified to call themselves Addiction Specialists or Psychiatrists. These competencies are specific to tobacco cessation in non-complex cases.
Technology
Digital Platforms
🎥
Live tele-ECHO
Zoom Telehealth + iECHO.org
📋
Case Record Form
Jotform (HIPAA compliant)
📚
E-learning & Forum
iecho.org
📝
Assignments
Zoom + iecho.org
📊
Pre / Post-test
Jotform
💡
Live Engagement
Slido.com
People
Core Hub Team
MC
Ms. Mahasweta Chakraborty
M.Sc. Clinical Psychology
Course Coordinator
Course Coordinator
TM
Ms. Tejdeepika
M.Sc. Clinical Psychology
Chief Facilitator
Chief Facilitator
MJ
Mr. Manjunatha
ECHO India
Communication Specialist
Communication Specialist
SC
Ms. Sanchitha
CAM NIMHANS
Support
Support
GN
Dr. Narasimha G V L
Faculty, Centre for
Addiction Medicine
Addiction Medicine
PC
Prof. Prabhat Chand
Professor of Psychiatry
Centre for Addiction Medicine
Centre for Addiction Medicine
Contact: Ms. Mahasweta Chakraborty ·
ma**************@*****ns.net
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I prepare for the next session's Slido quiz?
Check the didactic and self-directed learning topic in the curriculum according to the session date. Go through the materials available on iecho.org for the respective topics.
Q. Will session recordings be provided?
Session recordings of the case discussion are not provided due to their large file size. However, the discussion focuses on contents already available on iecho.org. Case recommendations will be shared once the discussion begins and can be accessed anytime.
Q. What is a Case Presentation? Will the hub team assign a topic to me?
On 6th June 2026, we will discuss case presentation in detail with a live demonstration on filling the case record form. You select your preferred date while filling the form. After submission, your name appears in the curriculum for that date, and your case file is shared with you one week before your presentation.
Q. Where can I access reading materials?
All materials are available on iecho.org — didactic presentations, self-learning materials, and extra reference resources under each session. Participants also get lifelong access to content in the app. For clarifications, email ma**************@*****ns.net.
Recognition & Certification
This is a Continued Professional Development programme approved by the NIMHANS Digital Academy Board of Studies. It is not recognized by RCI / NMC / DCI or similar bodies.
Funded by: NIMHANS · Centre for Addiction Medicine · National Tobacco Quitline NIMHANS · ECHO India
Further Reading
Reference Material
- World Health Organization. "Helping people quit tobacco: a manual for doctors and dentists." (2010).
- Varghese C, et al. "Initiating tobacco cessation services in India: challenges and opportunities." WHO South-East Asia Journal of Public Health 1, no. 2 (2012): 159–168.
- Video portal: youtube.com/c/vknnimhans