Running Head: IMPORTANCE OF SBIRT
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Importance of SBIRT
Name
IMPORTANCE OF SBIRT
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Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment (SBIRT) is a health approach
that is applied in making an intervention to persons who are in risk of developing disorders
related to substance abuse. This tool is flexible and thus can be utilized in many clinical
facilities. The essence of this discussion is to identify the age that this tool can be applied among
adolescents. Furthermore, the application of CRAFT tool among the youth is also highlighted.
Moreover, the discussion sheds light on the best SBIRT tool to use and the reasons why the
device is widely accepted.
Adolescence is the transition from childhood to adulthood. This group is comprised of
persons between the age of 13 and 19. The rate of drug and substance abuse is usually high
within this age bracket (Powers et al, 2016). Screening for substance use needs to be done among
adolescents of age 13 or 14 precisely because of some reasons. At this age, the adolescents have
heard for the first time may be about drugs and their effects, and they may need to have a taste
on them .Reliable sources and data indicate that substance abuse begins at early adolescence and
thus screening of the same for persons aged 13-14 years need to be done.
I would have chosen CRAFT for adolescents compared to allowing the teens to
participate in an intervention process. CRAFT (CAR, RELAX, ALONE, FORGET, FRIENDS,
TROUBLE) is a useful tool because it evaluates the period the adolescent has been using the
substance and it provides more information from the substance victim that is trivial in guiding
the same. The intervention will only bring awareness about substances unlike CRAFT.
Among all the tools present in a majority of the literature, especially those I have
reviewed, brief intervention is the most helpful and influential tool in SBIRT. Brief intervention
IMPORTANCE OF SBIRT
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is useful because it involves holding discussions and motivational awareness regarding substance
use (Powers et al, 2016). In so doing, information about substance use is spread.
Peer response 1
I agree with this student that the commonly abused drug, especially in the adolescence
stage, is alcohol. A recent study by the National Institute on Drug abuse indicates that 87.1% of
12th graders have access to alcohol. I agree that substance screening among adolescents ought to
begin at the age of 13 because this is when the majority of them have started to hear about drugs.
Maybe the student ought to have outlined why they did not prefer intervention. I agree that
CRAFT is sufficient but I disagree that DNI is part of the SBIRT assessment tool. The
application of DNI and SBIRT maybe related but they are different.
Peer response 2
I do not agree with the student that screening of substance abuse will vary depending on
some factors. If there was to be the variation on the same, the student ought to have outlined
those factors which I feel they don’t exist. However, I agree with the point that screening for
substance abuse should commence at the beginning of adolescence. Nevertheless, persons
between 10-12years may be quite young or may not have heard any information about drugs.
Thus I don’t support that age. I agree that CRAFT is vital in making interventions for youth who
are at risk of getting disorders related to substance abuse.
Assignment 2
Part 1
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Dr. Graham Disque exhibits an externalizing conversation. He takes long before
unraveling all that he is talking about. He brings out crucial information about the family. An
externalized interview means to bring out one’s ideas in a manner that is unique and ideas that
are acceptable. This discussion focuses on views on Dr. Graham’s process with family and what
family is experiencing with him. Moreover, the paper argues that if this was a Hispanic family,
some points of entry might be used to restart authoring conversations, to follow an exception or
to reconsider a former identity.
Dr. Graham is very keen on family ties. Family bonding is very crucial to every member
of the unit. It is essential since a united family can stand many challenges compared to a divided.
Listening to each other and taking note of probable causes of problems within a family are
essential elements that cultivate unity within a family. Every member of the unit is responsible
for achieving integration, and each has his or her role to play. Even an infant, who has little or no
activities to perform in a family, plays a pivotal role to achieve family unity. The process that Dr.
Graham proposes for communication within a family is trivial. I think it is useful, practical and
beneficial. Head of the family can be able to converse with the other members freely without any
hindrances (Scior & Lynggaard, 2018). The family is experiencing a difficult time with him.
Making such propositions must have a basis and the driving force — a clear indicator of
hardships within the family.
If this were a Hispanic family, then there would be some entry point necessary to reauthor conversation. Such would be a consideration on the head of the family and status. When a
member of the family unit is sick, then the conversation will need to change on the tone and
subjects of discussion.
Part 2
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Cognitive distortions refer to the way one’s mind convinces them of something that is not
true. They are negative thoughts that people have on themselves and the world around them.
They are always inaccurate and false. These kinds of thinking end up reinforcing negative
emotions. This discussion focuses on such thoughts-cognitive distortions- a case by Dr. Bitter
involving a real family. Also, the discussion has stressed on what one could do to avoid making
culturally biased statements when disputing irrational beliefs about a client’s definition of a
problem, especially when dealing with Hispanic families.
There are a significant number of cognitive distortions that erupts in this conversation.
Among the cognitive distortions present is an overgeneralization. This type of thought makes one
believe that because something wrong happened in the past, it is bound to happen again. In such
a case, one concludes that whenever they spot a particular aspect, then they should expect
something wrong. Moreover, personalization is a cognitive distortion that is also present in this
conversation (Asarnow et al, 2017). A person who suffers this kind of distortion always sees that
any comment or remarks done are still addressed to them. In short, they take all issues
personally. Blame is part of the cognitive distortions which appears in the conversation vividly.
Blaming someone is holding them responsible for specific problems. However, like in this case,
one can also blame themselves for issues that are not within their scope.
As a practitioner dealing with Hispanic families, one can avoid making culturally biased
statements when disputing irrational beliefs about client’s definition of a problem. One ought to
base their arguments on science rather than culture or hearsay to avoid making statements that
are culturally biased. One can also refrain from participating in disputes if they know themselves
that they are fond of making biased statements against a particular culture. Understanding
people’s beliefs would be the best way that a practitioner would avoid making a statement
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IMPORTANCE OF SBIRT
against the people’s way of life. To understand how the people live, a practitioner will need to
learn a couple of things about that culture such as dressing, greetings, and general issues that are
considered as taboos in the same religion. However, learning people’s ways of life is not a oneday affair as it will take a lot of time and commitment from the practitioner. Also, a practitioner
can talk to local experts and get crucial information regarding the culture, and in so doing, he or
she will avoid making utterances that are biased culture-wise. However, this move may be costly
as some of the local language experts will demand a consultation fee or other charges related to
the services that they offer.
References
Powers, M. D., James, S., Benningfield, M. D., Margaret, M., & Clinton, M. S. W. (2016).
SBIRT (Screening Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment)-A Primary Care Tool to
Assess for Substance Use Disorder. Tennessee Medicine E-Journal, 2(1), 5.
Scior, K., & Lynggaard, H. (2018). New stories of intellectual disabilities: a narrative approach.
In Intellectual Disabilities(pp. 100-119). Routledge.
Asarnow, J. R., Hughes, J. L., Babeva, K. N., & Sugar, C. A. (2017). Cognitive-behavioral
family treatment for suicide attempt prevention: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of
the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 56(6), 506-514.