SBIRT Training: Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment of Substance Use Disorder- 2 AOA Category 1-A Credits

At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Apply the SBIRT model, population-appropriate screening criteria, and risk-stratified response pathways in routine clinical encounters.

2. Demonstrate a structured brief intervention grounded in motivational interviewing, change talk, and patient autonomy.

3. Coordinate evidence-based treatment, including medications for opioid and alcohol use disorders, harm-reduction resources, warm handoffs, and longitudinal follow-up for patients with higher-risk substance use.

4. Integrate ethical, legal, culturally responsive, stigma-reducing, and whole-person considerations into SBIRT care.

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is an evidence-based public health approach that helps osteopathic physicians and other clinicians identify and respond to unhealthy substance use in routine care. This course is designed for osteopathic physicians (DOs), physician assistants (PAs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), dentists, and optometrists practicing in primary care, emergency medicine, urgent care, inpatient care, telehealth, dental, eye care, and other general health care settings. It covers validated screening tools; brief intervention using motivational interviewing; clinical assessment and referral; medications for opioid and alcohol use disorders; naloxone and harm-reduction resources; implementation across settings and populations; and confidentiality, documentation, and person-first communication. The content maps to responsibilities that include screening, clinical assessment, brief intervention, referral, care coordination, follow-up, and documentation, as well as diagnosis, treatment planning, and prescribing by authorized clinicians under applicable state law and scope of practice (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force [USPSTF], 2018, 2020; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], n.d.). For osteopathic physicians, the activity additionally emphasizes whole-person care, professional communication, and systems-based coordination consistent with AOA competencies and osteopathic tenets. Each learner applies SBIRT within the learner’s own scope of practice.

Unhealthy substance use is common, costly, and often missed in general medical settings, where it may present without an obvious complaint. Screening, brief intervention, medication treatment, and successful linkage to care remain inconsistently implemented. Osteopathic physicians and other participating clinicians are positioned to identify risk, perform population-appropriate screening and clinical assessment, deliver brief intervention, initiate or arrange evidence-based treatment within their respective scopes, reduce overdose risk, and coordinate longitudinal care. Training gaps also include motivational interviewing, non-stigmatizing communication, confidentiality, and reliable referral and follow-up workflows. This activity provides a practical SBIRT framework for routine clinical practice and addresses the AOA core competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal Skills, Professionalism, and Systems-Based Practice.