The Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment - SBIRT Primary Care Integration project is a universal, evidence-based practice used to identify, reduce, and prevent problematic use, abuse, and dependence on alcohol and illicit drugs.
The current funding will integrate SBIRT into primary care settings. Services are provided to adults receiving primary care in selected community health clinics in King, Whitman, Cowlitz and Clallam Counties. We anticipate over 96,000 adults will be screened and served over the life of the grant, which will reduce substance abuse and related injuries, and decrease health care use and costs for chronic conditions such as depression and anxiety.
The primary components of services are:
- Screening - a healthcare professional assesses a patient for risky substance use behaviors using standard screening tools;
- Brief Intervention - a healthcare professional engages a patient showing risky substance use behaviors in a short conversation, providing feedback and advice; and
- Referral to Treatment - a healthcare professional provides a referral to brief therapy or additional treatment to patients who screen in need of additional services.
The grant allows Washington to build upon our successes with the SBIRT grant in 2003 by expanding and further integrating behavioral health care services.
For more information about SBIRT, and fact sheets and posters for patient waiting areas, visit https://www.dshs.wa.gov/bha/division-behavioral-health-and-recovery/wasbirt-pci , or email Earl.Long@dshs.wa.gov.