Online Alcohol Server Training Program Approved in the District of Columbia

October 29, 2009

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) today announced that eTIPS, an online training and certification program for servers and sellers of alcohol, was approved by the District of Columbia's Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA). The District of Columbia's liquor code requires all managers of a licensed establishment to be certified in an alcohol training and education program that is conducted by a Board-approved provider. The addition of eTIPS will greatly expand the training options available for managers in the District of Columbia. Immediate benefits include tools to reduce underage drinking, intoxication, and drunk driving, as well as new flexibility in extending such benefits to establishments large and small.

The eTIPS course is customized for both On- and Off-Premise establishments. The training addresses concerns specific to convenience, grocery, and liquor stores as well as restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, and other on-premise liquor license holders. In addition, the course is tailored to deliver information on regulations unique to the District of Columbia. eTIPS participants are able to assess the needs of their clients from both the legal and alcohol-related standpoint after viewing thought-provoking video clips. The final section of the course challenges participants by forcing them to apply intervention strategies learned from previous exercises. Participants take a certification examination at the conclusion of the course.

The eTIPS course is a self-paced, innovative approach to alcohol training. It allows participants to obtain practical and valuable training anywhere and at any time. Most importantly, this new tool will provide District of Columbia businesses with reduced exposure to alcohol liability lawsuits, lower insurance rates, and improved customer satisfaction. By means of video streaming and top-shelf technology, the eTIPS user participates in a lively and interactive experience.

The course, introduced to alcohol servers in 2005, has also exceeded expectations for eLearning in general. eTIPS can be used on a wide range of computers, and HCI is able to control the experience for students and address problems directly. "I was concerned that we would lose the human element with an eLearning course, but eTIPS makes servers and sellers assess and evaluate alcohol-related situations they face every day. I was very pleased with the level of interactivity," remarked Adam Chafetz, President and CEO of Health Communications.

Health Communications, Inc. is the provider of the country's leading alcohol server training program. Over the last 25 years HCI has certified 45,000 trainers and more than three million servers, sellers, and consumers worldwide with the TIPS program. TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) is a classroom-based training program that gives servers, sellers, and consumers of alcohol the knowledge and confidence they need to recognize potential alcohol-related problems and teach them to effectively intervene to prevent alcohol-related tragedies. With the addition of eTIPS, that quality training is now available both in the classroom and via the web. To learn more, visit the website: http://www.gettips.com.

    Contact:

    Trevor Estelle
    703-524-1200 ext. 357
    estellet@gettips.com

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Health Communications, Inc.