Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Health Professions Student Training (SBIRT- Student Training)

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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2016 Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Health Professions Student Training (SBIRT- Student Training) grants. The purpose of this program is to develop and implement training programs to teach students in health professions (physician assistants, dentists, psychologists, pharmacists, nurses, social workers, counselors, and medical students and residents) the skills necessary to provide evidence-based screening and brief intervention and refer patients who are at risk for a substance use disorder (SUD) to appropriate treatment. Additionally, the training will develop the leadership skills needed in order to champion the implementation of SBIRT throughout the United States healthcare system with the ultimate goal of helping clients avoid substance use disorders. The specialty substance use treatment system is often not appropriate, or is unavailable, to those who are at risk for SUD. Therefore, the intended outcomes of this program are to increase the adoption and practice of SBIRT throughout the health care delivery system with the ultimate goal of helping clients avoid substance use disorders. SAMHSA expects that SBIRT will be a component of the education curriculum for the identified programs in each academic year for the duration of the grant and an ongoing element of the academic curriculum post-grant award. A key aspect of SBIRT is the integration and coordination of screening and treatment components into a system of services. This system links a community's specialized treatment programs with a network of early intervention and referral activities that are conducted during health care delivery. As shown by data collected from SBIRT cross-site evaluations (SBIRT Cohort I Cross-Site Evaluation Final Report, 2010), the vast majority of SBIRT service providers are health professionals such as physician assistants, dentists, psychologists, pharmacists, nurses, social workers and counselors. While some physicians deliver SBIRT, physicians also often lead the effort through clinical work, advocacy, and supervising SBIRT service providers in medical settings. This program will address workforce development by increasing the number of health care professionals who can address the needs of persons at risk for SUD. The training also promotes the emphasis from the Affordable Care Act of a multi-disciplinary team approach to the integration of behavioral health into medical health care systems. The SBIRT – Student Training program supports the SAMHSA Health Care and Health Systems Integration Strategic as well as Workforce Development Strategic Initiatives. The SBIRT – Student Training program seeks to address behavioral health disparities among racial, ethnic, sexual and gender minorities by encouraging the implementation of strategies to decrease the differences in access, service use, and outcomes among the racial, ethnic, sexual and gender minority populations served. (See PART II: Appendix F – Addressing Behavioral Health Disparities.) The SBIRT – Student Training grants are authorized under Section 509 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. This announcement addresses Healthy People 2020 Substance Abuse Topic Area HP 2020-SA.

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