Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment

Abstract

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment is a quick, effective technique with which to manage substance use in adolescents and young adults. Use of a validated measure for detecting substance use and abuse is significantly more effective than unvalidated tools or provider intuition. There are a variety of validated tools available to use in the adolescent/young adult population, and there are opportunities to increase the efficiency and scalability of screening by using computerized questionnaires. This area continues to evolve rapidly.

Keywords: Adolescents; Alcohol; Motivational interviewing; Screening; Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment; Substance abuse; Substance use.