IDISCUS 
InterDisciplinary Collaboration and Implementation of SBIRT Curricula in 
University of South Carolina’s 
Rehabilitation Counseling Program 
Michael Walsh, Ph.D, LPC, CRC, CPRP & Suzanne Hardeman, NP
Screening, Brief Intervention and 
Referral to Treatment 
The idea behind SAMHSA’s Screening, Brief Intervention, and 
Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) program is deceptively simple: 
What if you could stop drinking and substance abuse problems 
before they became serious enough to destroy people’s lives? 
SBIRT provides the tools to have a conversation about substance 
use at a very early point and help people make decisions on 
substance use based on their own values and life realities. 
-SAMHSA
How is SBIRT different? 
• Intervenes much earlier than traditional 
approaches. 
• Educates on “healthy limits” or “low risk” use 
• Is based in Motivational Interviewing principles 
• Is client- value-based 
• Easy to learn
The SBIRT Process
Redefining Low Risk Substance 
Use
A Message from 
Suzanne Hardeman,MRC, MSN, PMHNP-BC 
Dear all, Thanks so very much for coming to this session and I am so very 
sorry that I couldn’t be with you today. We have just buried my 23 year old 
nephew. He died as the result of a 10 year struggle with addictions. By the 
time our family knew, my nephew was already deeply entangled in addictions. 
I can only wonder if my nephew’s story would have been different had 
someone asked and assessed his substance use. SBIRT provides the tools we 
need to talk with people about their substance use and intervene at 
appropriate levels. I hope you will join me in renewed passion to make 
substance abuse assessment a routine part of practice. Warmest regards.
Where We Started 
• Call came late April 2013 
• Purpose develop and implement training programs 
to teach health professionals the SBIRT skills: 
• <30% medical residents 
• Curriculum provided 
• Division of Biological Research took the lead 
• Queried interest from graduate health professional 
programs
IDISCUS Structure
The Proposal 
Graduate 
Programs 
Nursing 
Social Work 
Rehabilitation Counseling 
Medical 
Residencies 
SBIRT 
Community 
Sites 
Internal Medicine 
Family Medicine 
Neuropsychiatry 
Preventive Medicine 
SCDMH NASW-SC Ryan White Providers
Implementation Approach 
USC 
Columbia, SC 
• Curriculum Customization 
• Online delivery 
• Voice-over videos 
• Handouts 
• Demonstration videos 
• Knowledge & Attitudes 
Assessment 
• CSAT Satisfaction Surveys
Implementation Approach 
USC 
Columbia, SC 
• Curriculum Customization 
• One curriculum for all 
disciplines 
• Each discipline had the ability 
to customize
Skills Practice 
• Nursing: Simulation lab, in pairs, instructor does patient 
voice 
• Social Work: audio recordings, peer feedback 
• Rehabilitation Counseling: In-person, triads 
• Medical residencies: In-person, triads with 
instructor/faculty
Implementation 
Advanced Health Assessment 
Spring Semester: 25-40 students 
Summer Semester: 25-35 students
Implementation 
Dynamics of Substance Abuse 
Fall Semester: 70-125 students 
Summer Semester: 25-50 students
Implementation 
Rehabilitation Counseling 
Rehabilitation Assessment 
Fall Semester: 10-15 students 
Summer Semester: 10-15 students
Implementation 
Why Rehabilitation Assessment? 
Screening-based protocol 
Standardized instruments used for 
assessment 
DAST 
AUDIT 
Useful as part of a Universal Health 
Practice, e.g.-Blood Pressure, 
Temperature, etc. 
Rehabilitation Counseling
Implementation 
Second Year of 3 or 4 Year Residency 
Neuropsychiatry: 6 Family Medicine: 10 
Preventive Medicine: 2 Internal Medicine: 11
Results 
Total Trainees (All 
Classes/Programs) 
RHAB 
(N=13) 
NURS 
(N=52) 
SOWK 
(N=25) 
Residents 
(N=9) 
Age 34 34 29 31 
% Female 57% 90% 88% 55% 
Experience w/patients with alcohol 
2.2 2.8 1.6 3.2 
problems [None(1) – Expert(5)] 
Experience w/patients with drug 
problems [None(1) – Expert(5)] 
2.2 2.8 1.8 3.1 
Total hours formal addictions 
training (median) 
.5 1 3 15 
Total hours informal addictions 
training (median) 
3.5 1 0 10 
Total hours formal MI training 
(median) 
2.5 0 2 2
Output 
• Materials converted to Braille or made 
accessible to screen reader 
• Curriculum revised and updated for Spring 
• Curriculum update in progress 
• Plan to develop discipline-specific 
demonstration videos
Lessons Learned 
• Context and future utility critical 
• Addition of “contextual session” 
• In person, real-time practice valued 
• Class integration critical 
• Many students still utilizing SBIRT skills in 
practicum
Student Feedback 
It really has provided a means of having a discourse about such issues without seemingly being 
overly aggressive, and also the tools to get as much information as possible in a brief amount of 
time. It provides quantitative information to provide those you are working with, so that they have 
something that is not in the abstract to 'see'. Creating, hopefully, more openness in the exchange. 
I love the materials. I am already using them in my current position and received positive feedback 
from it. The ease of presentation and the brief period of time it takes are essential in their 
effectiveness. I will say that I have enjoyed witnessing the changes people will make by themselves 
when provided with needed educational information. 
I feel that the way our instructors used the materials encouraged us to see its application in 
practice much more than the videos online did. Our professors met with us and broke down the 
details from the video in how it differs as a style of communication with clients and what to be 
mindful of when meeting new individuals.
Next Steps 
Community 
Partners 
SCDMH NASW-SC Ryan White Providers 
Fall 2014 March 2015 Fall 2015
Thank You 
For more information, Please contact: 
Michael Walsh, Ph.D, LPC, CRC, CPRP 
University of South Carolina School of Medicine 
Department of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science 
Rehabilitation Counseling Program 
michael.walsh@uscmed.sc.edu 
Phone: 843-304-1662 
Suzanne Hardeman,MRC, MSN, PMHNP-BC 
University of South Carolina School of Medicine 
Director, Division of Biological Research 
Department of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science 
University of South Carolina School of Medicine 
suzanne.hardeman@uscmed.sc.edu 
Phone: 803-434-3622
IDISCUS Presentation Saces 10-2014

IDISCUS Presentation Saces 10-2014

  • 1.
    IDISCUS InterDisciplinary Collaborationand Implementation of SBIRT Curricula in University of South Carolina’s Rehabilitation Counseling Program Michael Walsh, Ph.D, LPC, CRC, CPRP & Suzanne Hardeman, NP
  • 2.
    Screening, Brief Interventionand Referral to Treatment The idea behind SAMHSA’s Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) program is deceptively simple: What if you could stop drinking and substance abuse problems before they became serious enough to destroy people’s lives? SBIRT provides the tools to have a conversation about substance use at a very early point and help people make decisions on substance use based on their own values and life realities. -SAMHSA
  • 3.
    How is SBIRTdifferent? • Intervenes much earlier than traditional approaches. • Educates on “healthy limits” or “low risk” use • Is based in Motivational Interviewing principles • Is client- value-based • Easy to learn
  • 4.
  • 5.
    Redefining Low RiskSubstance Use
  • 6.
    A Message from Suzanne Hardeman,MRC, MSN, PMHNP-BC Dear all, Thanks so very much for coming to this session and I am so very sorry that I couldn’t be with you today. We have just buried my 23 year old nephew. He died as the result of a 10 year struggle with addictions. By the time our family knew, my nephew was already deeply entangled in addictions. I can only wonder if my nephew’s story would have been different had someone asked and assessed his substance use. SBIRT provides the tools we need to talk with people about their substance use and intervene at appropriate levels. I hope you will join me in renewed passion to make substance abuse assessment a routine part of practice. Warmest regards.
  • 7.
    Where We Started • Call came late April 2013 • Purpose develop and implement training programs to teach health professionals the SBIRT skills: • <30% medical residents • Curriculum provided • Division of Biological Research took the lead • Queried interest from graduate health professional programs
  • 9.
  • 10.
    The Proposal Graduate Programs Nursing Social Work Rehabilitation Counseling Medical Residencies SBIRT Community Sites Internal Medicine Family Medicine Neuropsychiatry Preventive Medicine SCDMH NASW-SC Ryan White Providers
  • 11.
    Implementation Approach USC Columbia, SC • Curriculum Customization • Online delivery • Voice-over videos • Handouts • Demonstration videos • Knowledge & Attitudes Assessment • CSAT Satisfaction Surveys
  • 12.
    Implementation Approach USC Columbia, SC • Curriculum Customization • One curriculum for all disciplines • Each discipline had the ability to customize
  • 14.
    Skills Practice •Nursing: Simulation lab, in pairs, instructor does patient voice • Social Work: audio recordings, peer feedback • Rehabilitation Counseling: In-person, triads • Medical residencies: In-person, triads with instructor/faculty
  • 15.
    Implementation Advanced HealthAssessment Spring Semester: 25-40 students Summer Semester: 25-35 students
  • 16.
    Implementation Dynamics ofSubstance Abuse Fall Semester: 70-125 students Summer Semester: 25-50 students
  • 17.
    Implementation Rehabilitation Counseling Rehabilitation Assessment Fall Semester: 10-15 students Summer Semester: 10-15 students
  • 18.
    Implementation Why RehabilitationAssessment? Screening-based protocol Standardized instruments used for assessment DAST AUDIT Useful as part of a Universal Health Practice, e.g.-Blood Pressure, Temperature, etc. Rehabilitation Counseling
  • 19.
    Implementation Second Yearof 3 or 4 Year Residency Neuropsychiatry: 6 Family Medicine: 10 Preventive Medicine: 2 Internal Medicine: 11
  • 20.
    Results Total Trainees(All Classes/Programs) RHAB (N=13) NURS (N=52) SOWK (N=25) Residents (N=9) Age 34 34 29 31 % Female 57% 90% 88% 55% Experience w/patients with alcohol 2.2 2.8 1.6 3.2 problems [None(1) – Expert(5)] Experience w/patients with drug problems [None(1) – Expert(5)] 2.2 2.8 1.8 3.1 Total hours formal addictions training (median) .5 1 3 15 Total hours informal addictions training (median) 3.5 1 0 10 Total hours formal MI training (median) 2.5 0 2 2
  • 21.
    Output • Materialsconverted to Braille or made accessible to screen reader • Curriculum revised and updated for Spring • Curriculum update in progress • Plan to develop discipline-specific demonstration videos
  • 22.
    Lessons Learned •Context and future utility critical • Addition of “contextual session” • In person, real-time practice valued • Class integration critical • Many students still utilizing SBIRT skills in practicum
  • 23.
    Student Feedback Itreally has provided a means of having a discourse about such issues without seemingly being overly aggressive, and also the tools to get as much information as possible in a brief amount of time. It provides quantitative information to provide those you are working with, so that they have something that is not in the abstract to 'see'. Creating, hopefully, more openness in the exchange. I love the materials. I am already using them in my current position and received positive feedback from it. The ease of presentation and the brief period of time it takes are essential in their effectiveness. I will say that I have enjoyed witnessing the changes people will make by themselves when provided with needed educational information. I feel that the way our instructors used the materials encouraged us to see its application in practice much more than the videos online did. Our professors met with us and broke down the details from the video in how it differs as a style of communication with clients and what to be mindful of when meeting new individuals.
  • 24.
    Next Steps Community Partners SCDMH NASW-SC Ryan White Providers Fall 2014 March 2015 Fall 2015
  • 25.
    Thank You Formore information, Please contact: Michael Walsh, Ph.D, LPC, CRC, CPRP University of South Carolina School of Medicine Department of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science Rehabilitation Counseling Program [email protected] Phone: 843-304-1662 Suzanne Hardeman,MRC, MSN, PMHNP-BC University of South Carolina School of Medicine Director, Division of Biological Research Department of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science University of South Carolina School of Medicine [email protected] Phone: 803-434-3622