Centralized Virtual SBIRT for Pediatric Primary Care

Overview

Adolescent alcohol and other drug (AOD) use is a significant public health problem which contributes to high levels of mortality, morbidity and healthcare costs in young people, and identification and early intervention for these problems is critical to improving outcomes. Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) in pediatric primary care is an evidence-based strategy for addressing these problems, but has not been widely and systematically implemented, for a variety of reasons, including lack of training and staffing resources to support its implementation. This pragmatic, Type 1 Hybrid Comparative Effectiveness Implementation study will examine whether a centralized, virtually-delivered modality of SBIRT, rapidly accessible by multiple pediatric primary care clinics, can be cost-effectively implemented to improve early identification and treatment for AOD use and comorbid mental health problems among adolescents identified as being at high or severe risk of AOD use disorder during adolescent Well Visits.

Adolescent alcohol and other drug (AOD) use is a major public health concern posing significant challenges to healthcare providers, patients and families. It is associated with comorbid psychiatric and medical conditions, poor educational and employment outcomes, accidents and injuries, and avoidable health services utilization and costs (e.g., emergency and inpatient). Early AOD use initiation is associated with alcohol use disorders in adulthood. Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) delivered in pediatric primary care is an effective approach to early identification and intervention and can reduce both AOD use and consequences and co-occurring mental health symptoms, yet widespread implementation is lacking, due to a variety of barriers, including the time constraints and competing priorities faced by pediatricians and lack of trained staff. Research on efficient and cost-effective modalities of SBIRT delivery in pediatric primary care is critical to expanding the evidence base and supporting broader implementation. Accelerated by the pandemic, behavioral telemedicine approaches to addressing adolescent AOD use, and mental health problems are gaining momentum and offer the potential to increase the reach and impact of SBIRT in pediatric primary care. This study's objective is to examine whether a centralized, virtually delivered modality of SBIRT, rapidly accessible by multiple pediatric primary care clinics, can be cost-effectively implemented to improve early identification and treatment for AOD and comorbid mental health problems among adolescents at high or severe risk of AOD use disorder. In this wholly pragmatic, Type 1 Hybrid Comparative Effectiveness Implementation study, set in a large, real-world health system with a highly diverse population, we will compare outcomes in two models of busy, general pediatric primary care clinics with an eligible population of approximately 22,320 12-17 year old adolescents: 1) clinics where brief interventions are delivered virtually by video or telephone by a centralized behavioral health clinician (CV-SBIRT arm), or 2) clinics where appointment-based brief interventions are delivered by a behavioral health clinician assigned to the clinic (Traditional SBIRT arm).