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.