Advertisement
Nearly 30 percent of Americans are not dependent on alcohol or otherdrugs, but consume at a level that elevates their risk for causing physical,mental or social harm. According to statistics from the National Center onAddiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, the State of Coloradospends approximately $202 million annually on healthcare costs due to problemsrelated to substance abuse.
Advertisement
Through a brief screening conducted at healthcare facilities in 12 SBIRTColorado locations throughout the state, healthcare professionals can identifypeople with risky use early enough to interrupt progression to more serioususe and to connect patients who have substance dependence to specializedtreatment.
"Instead of waiting until risky alcohol and other drug use become a majorissue, the Guideline promotes an open discussion between doctor and patient,empowering patients to take charge of their health," said Brie Reimann,program director for SBIRT Colorado. "We hope that a SBIRT screening willbecome as common as a blood pressure check at your annual doctor'sappointment."
The Guideline recognizes the critical role clinicians can play inpreventing injury, disease and more severe substance use disorders. An onlineversion of the Guideline is available free of charge to all healthcareprofessionals at http://www.coloradoguidelines.org/guidelines/sbirt.asp
"As with all our guidelines, the Guideline for Alcohol and Substance Usepresents essential information in a user-friendly format that can be used byany healthcare professional," said Dr. Marjie Harbrecht, medical/executivedirector of CCGC. "And beyond the systematic approach to screen patients, thenew guideline provides recommendations for management based on the patient'srisk level."
The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment of the Substance Abuse and MentalHealth Services Administration awarded a grant in 2006 of $2.8 millionannually for five years to the Colorado Office of the Governor to implementSBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment).
A celebration of the new CCGC Guideline will take place on Tuesday, Sept.9 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. at the Governor's Mansion (400 E. 8th Ave., Denver). Akeynote address will be provided by Eric Goplerud, PhD, Research Professor,Health Policy and Director of Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, Schoolof Public Health, at George Washington University Medical Center.
The Guideline was mailed to more than 5,000 clinicians throughout Coloradoand is available at http://www.coloradoguidelines.org/guidelines/sbirt.asp.CCGC will host education seminars and in-office trainings across the state toraise provider awareness and encourage implementation of the guideline.
About SBIRT Colorado
SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment) is acomprehensive, integrated, public health approach to one of the mostpreventable health issues -- alcohol and other drug use. SBIRT Coloradodelivers universal screenings to patients at 12 sites in Colorado. One ofeight SBIRT programs in the country, SBIRT Colorado is funded by the SubstanceAbuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance AbuseTreatment and jointly administered by the Colorado Department of HumanServices/Division of Behavioral Health and the Colorado Department of PublicHealth and Environment/Prevention Services Division. The project is managed
