SBIRT Colorado milestones and status
A policy steering committee appointed by Governor Bill Ritter, Jr., is currently developing a strategy for sustainability after the grant expires. This policy steering committee chair José Esquibel, of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, seeks to promote acceptance of the SBIRT process among communities and healthcare providers which will lead to universal screening, as well as reimbursement from insurers and Medicaid.For state Medicaid reimbursement of this preventive health service, the Colorado Medicaid State Plan must be amended to include screening and brief intervention services.
SBIRT Colorado provided funds to the Colorado Clinical Guidelines Collaborative to develop the Alcohol and Substance Use Guideline to increase awareness and use of SBIRT in healthcare settings throughout Colorado.
This guideline, launched in July 2008, targets patients with non-dependent substance use and provides effective strategies for intervention prior to the need for more intensive treatment. It emphasizes universal screening and very brief motivational conversations for patients identified as needing some level of intervention for use of alcohol and/or other substances. The guideline also provides information about helping patients identified as possibly dependent on alcohol or other drugs.
For healthcare providers who conduct Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI), there is a guide that provides suggestions for how billing codes can be used to ensure that SBI services are reimbursed in a variety of settings. Visit the SBI Reimbursement Guide section of the Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems web site.
For more information about how you can get involved in creating public policy that supports the sustainability of the SBIRT practice, send an email titled "How can I help?" to SBIRTInfo@peerassist.org or call 303.369.0039 x245.
