Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

SBIRT is a comprehensive, integrated, public health approach to the delivery of early intervention and treatment services for persons with substance use disorders, as well as those who are at risk of developing these disorders. Primary care centers, hospital emergency rooms, trauma centers, and other community settings provide opportunities for early intervention with at-risk substance users before more severe consequences occur.

• Screening quickly assesses the severity of substance use and identifies the appropriate level of treatment.
• Brief intervention focuses on increasing insight and awareness regarding substance use and motivation toward behavioral change.
• Referral to treatment provides those identified as needing more extensive treatment with access to specialty care.

Learn More

• Coding for SBI Reimbursement
• Grantees
• Contact Us

What's New

• White Paper on Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) in Behavioral Healthcare (pdf 260KB)
• The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) for Unhealthy Alcohol Use: A Step-by Step Implementation Guide for Trauma Centers [1.9 Mb pdf]

This Web site does not provide screening, treatment, referral to treatment or offer self-assessment tools. Visitors seeking treatment, referral to treatment, and/or self-assessment or screening should visit SAMHSA's online Substance Abuse Help for Individuals. You may also call SAMHSA’s 24-hour toll free Referral Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357).

Last updated: 03/09/2012