Service Access and Self-Reporting: Tailoring SBIRT to Active Duty Military in Civilian Health Care Settings

Active duty military personnel exhibit higher rates of problem alcohol use than their civilian counterparts. This project explored the efficacy of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) as an avenue for serving this hard-to-reach population. SBIRT was implemented in 7 civilian medical settings in New York near Fort Drum between February 2012 and January 2015 to assess service access, utilization, and rates of alcohol and drug use. Approximately 15% of patients were active duty military, with 7.7% screening positive for alcohol or drug misuse and almost 200 receiving project services. Findings highlight specific strategies for improving the model.