Alcohol: Screening, Brief Interventions, Referral and Treatment (‘SBIRT’)
Alcohol is the most widely used drug in Aotearoa New Zealand and causes significant harm. Around one-third of alcohol dependence cases develop within five years of first alcohol use. Close to 50% of cases develop by 20 years of age and 70% by 25 years of age (Te Rau Hinengaro, The New Zealand Mental Health Survey, 2018). Alcohol is easily available in licensed venues, bottle stores and supermarkets, but is illegal to supply to anyone under 18, although drinking in private has no minimum legal age.
Alcohol use is often linked with other issues such as gambling, smoking, offending, mental and physical health concerns, workplace absenteeism, accidents, drink-driving and violence. Because alcohol is addictive, harmful use can develop unnoticed until problems arise.
Early awareness and detection can reduce harm to individuals, whaanau and communities. “It can just take one conversation at the right place and right time that can change someone’s life.”
Significantly, SBIRT is a Ministerial priority and Abacus offers a full-day, face-to-face training programme that is free to organisations who want to confidently have conversations about alcohol use with others. The training covers screening tools, effective communication, early-intervention and referral strategies, and provides information about treatment options. On-line training can also be available.
Learning Outcomes
Participants will:
- Learn why people drink in spite of risks and consequences of alcohol overuse
- Learn about use of cultural models of health in this context
- Have the opportunity to apply cultural models using a case scenario
- Understand the rationale for screening and brief interventions
- Have examples and the opportunity to practice using alcohol screening tools
- Understand the concept of standard drinks and take part in an exercise
- Learn techniques for ‘raising the issue’ and ‘having conversations about alcohol’
Course Content
- Alcohol statistics and rationale for the SBIRT approach
- Te Whare Tapa Whaa and Fonofale cultural models in this context
- Understanding alcohol use and use of ’standard drinks’ to measure use
- The ‘ABC’ approach to brief interventions
- Information on ‘conversations about alcohol use’
- Exercises and activities to assist learning
To enquire, please contact: Greg Smith: admin@acts.co.nz