If you’re a health care provider, first responder, social worker, or even just a concerned individual, you may have heard the term SBIRT. But what does SBIRT stand for, and what purpose does it serve? SBIRT stands for Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment. It is a free continuing education class for those in the healthcare field that encourages healthcare providers to screen and provide advice or counseling to their patients who misuse alcohol or other substances.
So we know what SBIRT stands for, and its basic purpose, but let’s delve a bit deeper.
As mentioned above, SBIRT stands for Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment. It is a comprehensive public health approach to early intervention and treatment services for people with substance use disorders, as well as those who are at risk of developing these disorders. There are multiple settings in which opportunities exist for early intervention and screening, so it is of benefit for these workers to have the training and knowledge to identify and screen at-risk substance users. Primary care centers, hospital emergency rooms, trauma centers, and other healthcare settings are highly important locations of focus, but first responders and social workers benefit from this training as well.
Topics covered in this training course include education on the basis of substance abuse disorders, treatments for chronic pain and additional treatment alternatives, screening at-risk individuals (as the S stands for), brief intervention techniques (as the BI stands for), referring to treatment options (as the RT stands for), as well as practical examples of meaningful conversations to engage with patients.
Confronting individuals suffering from addiction is difficult, and it can be hard to clearly guide these patients on the right path to help. The SBIRT continuing education training course empowers you with the tools you need to help get your patients on a safe path. Interested in learning more, want to enroll in the next course, or just have questions? The University of Utah’s SBIRT training course will empower health care providers and public servants to help our Utah community, free of charge. Know that in your chosen profession, you have the power to help your patients even when their path is difficult. Don’t forget what you stand for; protect your patients with the knowledge learned through your SBIRT course.
Are you looking to communicate better with patients? SBIRT offers free training in Utah. This training in SBIRT is for any healthcare worker.
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