Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment: An Interventional Approach for Campus Counselors

Main Article Content

Karen V. Duhamel, DNP, MSHCE, RN

Abstract

Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is an evidence-based, harm reduction approach for identifying and treating at-risk substance use behaviors. This prescriptive, 3-step process was originally created by The World Health Organization in 1982 and further developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2003. By providing a systematic assessment of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs, as measured by the clinically-validated Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test-Frequencies and Concerns (ASSIST-FC), college counselors can become more adept at providing at-risk students with early assessment of problematic substance use, through motivational interviewing, and customized treatment planning.  SBIRT has been successfully implemented by numerous healthcare practitioners in a variety of clinical settings, including primary care clinics, emergency departments, behavioral health services, and colleges/universities, resulting in varying degrees of success in reducing tobacco, alcohol and drug use, and improving the overall quality of life for affected individuals. Change project research indicates statistical significance in counselor confidence in assessing at-risk students’ readiness to change addictive behaviors and counselor recognition of the importance of referral to formal treatment for positively screened individuals. SBIRT on college campuses can pro-actively reduce adverse academic and health consequences for students at-risk, while increasing assessment and treatment competency of mental health counselors.

Keywords: Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment, SBIRT, ASSIST-FC, campus counselors, at-risk students

Article Details

How to Cite
DUHAMEL, Karen V.. Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment: An Interventional Approach for Campus Counselors. Medical Research Archives, [S.l.], v. 8, n. 3, mar. 2020. ISSN 2375-1924. Available at: <https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/2052>. Date accessed: 22 dec. 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v8i3.2052.
Section
Research Articles

References

1. Agerwala, S.M., & McCance-Katz, E.F. (2012). Integrating screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) into clinical practice settings: A brief review. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 44(4), 307-317.

2. Aldridge, A., Linford, R., & Bray, J. (2017). Substance use outcomes of patients served
by a large US implementation of screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT). Addiction, 112(Suppl. 2), 43-53. doi:10.111/add.13651.

3. American College Health Association (2010). Considerations for integration of counseling and health services on college and university campuses. Retrieved from
https://www.acha.org/documents/resources/guidelines/ACHA_Considerations_for_Integration_of_Counseling_White_Paper_Mar2010.pdf

4. Arria, A.M., Caldeira, K.M., Bugbee, B.A., Vincent, K.A., & O’Grady, K.E. (2013). The academic opportunity costs of substance use during college. Center on Young Adult Health and Development (CYAHD). Retrieved from
http://www.cls.umd.edu/docs/AcadOppCosts.pdf

5. Babor, T.F., de la Fuente, J.R., Saunders, J., & Grant, M. (1992). AUDIT: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Guidelines for use in primary health care. Geneva: World Health Organization.

6. Babor, T.F., Del Boca, F., & Bray, J.W. (2017). Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment: Implications of SAMHSA’s SBIRT initiative for substance abuse policy and practice. Addiction, 112(Suppl. 2), 110-117. doi:10.111/add.1365.

7. Chasek, C.L., Dinsmore, J.A., Tillman, D.R., & Hof, D.D. (2015). Addiction Counseling Practice Competencies and Curriculum in CACREP-Accredited Programs. Retrieved from https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/vistas/article_69af5a22f16116603abcacff0000bee5e7.pdf?sfvrsn=4&sfvrsn=4

8. Cooper, S.E. (2018). A primer on college student substance use disorders screening, assessment, and treatment planning. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 32(1), 73-89.

9. Denering, L.L., & Spear, S.E. (2012). Routine use of screening and brief intervention for college students in a university counseling center. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 44(4), 318-324. doi:10.1080/02791072.2012.718647.

10. Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) (n.d.). Retrieved from https://dhss.delaware.gov/dsamh/files/si2013_dsm5foraddictionsmhandcriminaljustice.pdf

11. Freimuth, M. (2008). Another missed opportunity? Recognition of alcohol use problems by mental health providers. Psychotherapy Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 45(3), 405-409. doi:10.1037/a0013312.

12. Kapner, D.A. (2008). Secondary Effects of Heavy Drinking on Campus. [The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention]. Retrieved from https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/hec/product/secondary-effects.pdf

13. Madras, B. K., Compton, W. M., Avula, D., Stegbauer, T., Stein, J. B., & Clark, H. W.
(2009). Screening, brief intervention, referral to treatment (SBIRT) for illicit drug and alcohol use at multiple healthcare sites: Comparison at intake and 6 months later. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 99, 280–295.

14. Martin, J.L., Burrow-Sanchez, J.J., Iwamoto, D.K., Glidden-Tracey, C.E., & Vaughan, E.L. (2016). Counseling psychology and substance use: Implications for training, practice, and research. The Counseling Psychologist, 1-26. doi:10.1177/0011000016667536.

15. Mekonen, T., Fekadu, W., Mekonnen, T.C., & Workie, S.B. (2017). Substance use as a strong predictor of poor academic achievement among university students. Psychiatry Journal, 2017(7517450), 1-10. doi:10.1155/2017/7517450.

16. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). Drinking levels defined. Retrieved from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/moderate-binge-drinking

17. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2019). College Drinking. Retrieved from https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/CollegeFactSheet/Collegefactsheet.pdf

18. National Institute on Drug Abuse (2017). Trends & statistics. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics

19. Pender, N. (2011). Health Promotion Model Manual. The University of Michigan. Retrieved from https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/85350/HEALTH_PROMOTION_MANUAL

20. Pringle, J., Seale, P., & Bray, J. (2014). SBIRT proficiency checklist validation study. [Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration], pp. 30-31. Retrieved from http://www.indianasbirt.org/documents/Fidelity%20Inst-SBIRT%20Validation%20Study%20(PERU,%202014).pdf

21. Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Services. (2017).
[Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration]. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/sbirt

22. Substance Use Disorders. (2015). [Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration]. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/disorders/substance-use

23. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2007). Screening and Brief Intervention Tool Kit for College and University Campuses. [Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA]. Retrieved from
https://www.integration.samhsa.gov/clinical-practice/sbirt/NHTSA_SBIRT_for_Colleges_and_Universities.pdf

24. World Health Organization [WHO]. (1997). WHOQOL: Measuring Quality of Life. Geneva: World Health Organization.

25. WHO ASSIST Working Group. (2002). The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST): Development, reliability and feasibility. Addiction, 97(9), 1183-1194