Effectiveness

A growing body of evidence about SBIRT’s effectiveness — including cost effectiveness — has demonstrated its positive outcomes.

How Can You Make A Difference?

Since 2003, SAMHSA has supported SBIRT programs, with more than 1.5 million persons screened.

Help

Helping to identify those in need of services begins with assessment and screening.

Tools

Social workers and other healthcare providers often use tools in this process as part of good evidence-based practice.

Assess

SBIRT is one of the more current and useful tools, applicable in many settings to assess for alcohol and other drug use/misuse.

Cost Effective

SBIRT reduces short- and long-term healthcare costs.
Multiple cost-benefit analyses have demonstrated its cost savings.
Late-stage intervention and substance abuse treatment are expensive, and the patient has often developed comorbid health conditions.
SBIRT in EDs costs $8.63 less per patient than in an outpatient setting.

SBIRT reduces alcohol and drug misuse

The US Preventive Services Task Force (2009) found SBIRT effectively reduced heavy drinking episodes in adults and resulted in:

reduced weekly alcohol consumption
12% fewer adults reported heavy drinking episodes, and
11% of adults reported drinking less than the recommended limits over a 12 month period.

A 2009 article in the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence found a 68% reduction in illicit drug use over a six-month period among individuals who had received SBIRT services.