Oral

Implementation and evaluation challenges and strategies of a national Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) program under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). Recognizing that the treatment needs of both nondependent and dependent populations can be best met through a comprehensive approach to identifying and treating substance use problems across a continuum of severity, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) established the Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) program. The SBIRT program represents a major advance in the basic philosophy of addressing substance use issues and the role of the treatment system. It is important to examine which models of SBIRT offer the greatest potential to improve the U.S. treatment system. To this end, CSAT funded a cross-site evaluation of the effects of SBIRT as implemented in six States and one Tribal Organization.

Session Objectives: Articulate the need for SBIRT in healthcare settings. Discuss how to implement evidence-based Screening, Brief Intervention, Brief Treatment and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) programs into real-world healthcare settings. Describe challenges and methods used to evaluate a nation-wide SBIRT initiative.

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing