SBIRT: Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment
Young people in Georgia are gaining access to health insurance at historic levels, creating new opportunities to increase access to essential prevention and treatment services. At the same time, misuse of and addiction to alcohol and drugs blunt the potential of too many young Georgians.
Research supports that early access to screening and counseling can help young people avoid the destructive consequences of drug and alcohol misuse and addiction.
SBIRT, which stands for Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment, is an evidence-based approach that gets adolescents talking about their use
Together, GC4R and GHF are working to improve access to SBIRT, especially for youth ages 15 to 22 across the state. The project aims to improve access and insurance coverage for SBIRT by increasing both the number and type of locations where youth can access those services, and increasing the number and type of professionals who can conduct screening and brief intervention.
This project is part of a national project managed by Community Catalyst and funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
SBIRT In High School Settings
During the fall of 2018, GC4R was awarded a grant from Joe’s Fund through the Decatur Education Foundation to conduct SBIRT for the entire 10th and 11th grade at Decatur High School. Each student participates in short, one-on-one conversations with trained SBIRT screeners where they discuss possible mental health or substance use concerns. Students are offered the option of meeting with a mentor, meeting with a clinician, or meeting with a CARES. The CARES is located on-site, full time in the Decatur High School Student Center, thanks to Joe’s Fund.
This project is the second of two pilot projects demonstrating the effectiveness of providing SBIRT in high school settings. The first of the pilot projects took place at Marietta High School through a technical assistance grant from Project AMP.
For more information on providing SBIRT in your local high schools, please click the button below to contact us.
