Implementing CHOICES

CDC has implemented CHOICES in various settings, including:

If you are interested in implementing CHOICES in your setting, here are some initial items to consider in determining your readiness.

Topic	Questions to Consider
Target Population	Do we serve women of reproductive age (18-44 years)? What do we know about our female clients’ alcohol use and contraceptive behavior? Are they at high risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy? Are there potential barriers to clients’ participation such as time, or lack of trust that need to be addressed before implementing CHOICES?
Resources	What resources (staff time, space, equipment, technology, etc.) are needed? Do we need to hire anyone? What funding and other resources do we have to implement the intervention?
Skill Sets	What skills are needed to implement CHOICES? What are the skills and expertise of our team?
Support for the Program	Who are the key decision-makers (administrators, clinic staff, etc.) in our clinic? Do they understand the problem of alcohol-exposed pregnancies? Are awareness and education activities needed to help them understand the problem? Who are the partners or other key stakeholders, internally and externally, that can support the planning and implementation of the intervention?

Training materials and resources for implementing CHOICES can be found below.

Facilitator Guide (PDF) – This is designed for use by trainers and provides instruction on how to conduct the intervention. The guide also includes presentation slides.
Counselor Manual (PDF) – This manual provides background information and guidance on conducting each of the four CHOICES counseling sessions.
Client Workbook (PDF) – The workbook provides materials for women participating in the program.

To order these materials, click here