Helping New Hampshire Providers Discuss Substance Use with S·BI·RT
July 9th, 2019 | news
A video recently released by JSI’s NH Center for Excellence offers perinatal providers examples of how to talk with women about the stigma-laden topic of substance misuse. The videos illustrate steps that providers can follow to guide their patients toward a healthier lifestyle.
S·BI·RT is an evidence-based strategy for reinforcing healthy behaviors, identifying problematic drug and alcohol use early, reducing substance misuse, and referring to treatment those who need it. S·BI·RT—screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment—represents the progressive steps that a health professional takes to assess an individual’s alcohol and drug use behaviors and help her/him reduce risks to health and well-being. Patient follow-up is also an essential component that closes the loop with the primary care provider regarding screening results, brief intervention, or referral for further assessment.
Based on ongoing communications with providers, JSI identified a gap in learning materials for providers—particularly perinatal care— who want to adopt S·BI·RT protocols. The video was produced as a training tool to demonstrate how to approach a brief intervention with patients. As part of this project, we also created a provider toolkit to enhance the conversation and shared decision-making process.
“We created the video because we could not find a high-quality existing video of a provider and patient addressing substance use during this special time in a woman’s life. We also wanted to convey important new information about a statewide effort to support pregnant women and new families called the Plan of Safe Care. So many pregnant women are afraid to have candid discussions about their substance use. They are afraid their provider will report them to child protective services.” ~Martha Bradley, SBIRT Training and TA Provider
This video builds on several resources, including a video for primary care providers of 12–22-year-olds, developed through the NH Youth S·BI·RT Initiative (2014–2017), with funding from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. JSI also developed an SBIRT Implementation Playbook and an overview of the initiative, Preventing Youth Substance Misuse Through Integrated Primary Care: Strategies for SBIRT Implementation
Interest in S·BI·RT has expanded beyond the health care setting. The center has provided technical assistance and trainings to the Juvenile Justice Network, home visiting agencies, occupational therapists, the New Hampshire Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program, and oral health care providers.
The NH Charitable Foundation has funded JSI’s S·BI·RT portfolio of work, enabling JSI to train more than 1,000 New Hampshire health care professionals in hundreds of practices. Next, JSI is developing a S·BI·RT training video for oral health care providers.
Watch the new video and read more about NH SBIRT.
