SBHA recently released a new Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) toolkit! This step-by-step guide for school-based health centers (SBHCs) uses an innovative, evidence-based approach to tackling drug and alcohol use with adolescents. Core components that differentiate the SBIRT model include:
- De-stigmatized and universal screening tools for substance use
- Acknowledgement of substance use as a continuum rather than an “addicted versus not addicted” judgment
- Motivational, interviewing-based, patient-centered talk versus directive
- A broadening of “referral to treatment” to include traditional treatment as well as support and anticipatory guidance for all levels of use or abstinence
- Facilitation of bidirectional transitions among primary care, behavioral health, and specialty addiction treatment
Thanks to generous support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, from 2015 until 2021, SBHA tested the SBIRT model in school-based health center settings nationwide. By testing the feasibility of the approach across a variety of sites around the country, SBHA addressed implementation challenges, identified keys to success, and today, continues to promote and refine the SBIRT-in-SBHCs model.
SBHA focused its work on three key areas: Increased training for the SBHC field, using new models and leveraging technology to serve more providers and centers; development of the National School-Based SBIRT Learning Community to connect a diverse group of researchers, providers, administrators, and others to foster collaboration and sharing of tools and resources; and the creation of this NEW comprehensive web-based toolkit for SBHCs who would like to implement SBIRT on their own.
Click here to access the SBIRT toolkit for SBHCs.
