Grant funds center to screen patients

In an effort to monitor the early stages of substance abuse, the Indiana Prevention Resource Center at IU has teamed with health care services in Indianapolis to screen for certain warning signs.

Funded by an $8.3 million federal grant, the five-year initiative aims to incorporate drug and alcohol screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment, also referred to as SBIRT, into primary health care services, according to a press release.
 
“It gives Indiana a chance to actually implement what is a really recommended practice in primary care health settings, which is really just to screen virtually every patient for alcohol and drugs,” said Merrill Hatlen, grant consultant at the  center.

He said receiving a grant was a very competitive process, and only nine were awarded nationwide.

The initiative will begin with a three-year phase in which the practices will be implemented in 10 health centers in Indianapolis, said Jon Agley, research associate and evaluator at the center. Screenings are set to begin in January 2012.

“The goal is to develop expertise and a process that is effective,” he said. “Then we can provide technical assistance and have a good understanding of how this process works for community health centers and community mental health centers throughout Indiana.”

Following this phase, the goal is to implement SBIRT statewide, Agley said.
He also said substance abuse has typically been a topic avoided by many primary care physicians due to a level of discomfort as well as a lack of training.

Through this program, the doctors have been provided with interviewing techniques and a process to work with should they suspect substance abuse, he said.

“Actually having the mental health services, specifically the screening and preventative services, occur at the primary care clinic is really important, and I think it’s really going to improve,” Agley said.

He said in terms of substance abuse, it’s not all black and white. There are stages that many people overlook or are unaware of. With alcohol, for example, people aren’t simply nondrinkers or heavy drinkers, Agley said.

There are levels in between these extremes that might put a person at risk of developing a serious medical problem.

“It’s really important to be able to identify those people so we can resolve and change their behavior before it really starts harming them,” he said.

Agley said they are hoping to measure the cost savings, as well.

“It’s one of the best ways to help reduce health care costs,” Hatlen said. “Anything you can do to do any early intervention is just much more cautious.”

He said the grant will assist in preventing the final stages of substance abuse.

“Essentially, it’s an opportunity to do an early intervention and catch problems before they become full-blown addiction,” Hatlen said. “In that sense it’s fairly
revolutionary.”