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Project Amp supports the goals of state behavioral health directors by expanding connections to peer support and enhancing key prevention and early intervention strategies.C4 Innovations…

Project Amp can help to address COVID-19 related risks such as trauma exposure, substance use, mental health concerns, and isolation by engaging students in brainstorming healthy coping mechanisms, stress relief, and positive goal setting.C4 Innovations…

Schools and states can use different funding streams to finance prevention and early intervention efforts like Project Amp.Project AMP…

“My Future is EPIC” is an eight-module life-skills curriculum program designed by Young People in Recovery for adolescents aged 14-18 who are misusing substances or who are at high-risk of developing substance use disorder due to adverse childhood events such as trauma, co-occurring mental health disorders, or family history. The…

This evaluation report summarizes the progress made towards reaching the Hilton Foundation’s overarching goals for the Youth Substance Use Prevention and Early Intervention Strategic Initiative, highlights the key learnings emerging from the Initiative, and demonstrates the impact of this prevention and early intervention strategy. Key recommendations for the second half…

This evaluation report details the progress made towards reaching the Hilton Foundation’s overarching goals for the Youth Substance Use Prevention and Early Intervention Strategic Initiative, highlights activities and key learnings, and outlines recommendations to further advance the Initiative as it continues to grow and evolve. The report offers seven actionable…

In 2014, the Hilton Foundation provided funding to the National Council for Behavioral Health to develop the Reducing Adolescent Substance Abuse Initiative (RASAI). The initiative focused on prevention and early intervention of youth substance use and included implementation of SBIRT within community behavioral health settings and the facilitation of a…

This recovery-ready community strategy emphasizes the need to establish sustainable community-based recovery support infrastructures in order to combat adolescent substance use. Young People in Recovery’s model integrates eight key components, including: prevention, treatment, harm reduction, judicial and law enforcement, housing, education, employment, and recovery support. Each component is described in…

Youth-driven substance use prevention and early intervention. Drawing on the power of near-age, young adult peer mentors to deliver youth-centered, strengths-based prevention and early intervention to adolescents over 4-6 sessions.

This playbook is a compendium of actions and/or strategies identified through the New Hampshire Youth SBIRT Initiative implementation and related work, that will not only give providers a shared understanding of SBIRT, but will also help organizations to more effectively implement SBIRT into their clinical setting. The playbook is organized…

The MPower Program serves to increase family communication and understanding around sensitive topics, especially alcohol and drug use, empower teems to make educated, healthy choices, and ultimately, reduce adolescent alcohol and drug use. The parent manual is designed to provide parents/guardians with additional information and resources to most effectively implement…

Created as part of the MPower Program, this manual serves as a guide for interventionists to implement the MPower program in a clinical setting. The manual describes a 4-session individual and family therapy model for use with adolescents who may be experiencing mild or moderate problems associated with alcohol or…

This Model Ordinance was also written as part of the Public Health Institute’s Getting It Right from the Start: Local Regulation of Recreational Cannabis project, which provides guidance to help California jurisdictions reduce negative health impacts of legalization of recreational cannabis. The Model Ordinance principally addresses regulatory challenges surrounding retail…

Facing Addiction’s Community Convening Guide provides tools, how-to’s, and talking points that communities can use to plan events and lobby for policy changes. The Convening Guide includes a detailed outline for hosting local policy forums, with tips to help organizations meet with community leaders, format programs, identify strong panelists, and…

This is a policy analysis of Young People in Recovery’s Community-ready community model. Its mission is to improve resources and support services for people with substance use disorders within their community The analysis describes the implications and effects produced by the Recovery Ready Community model becoming the federal framework for…

Partnership to End Addiction has developed a report entitled “Prevention Agenda” fundamentally rethinking our approach to prevention. We must promote child, family, and community health; look beyond the traditional targets of substance use prevention; collaborate with and learn from others in the child health and development fields; and break down…

Youth Engagement Strategies and Support (YESS) seeks to apply best practices for youth engagement to adolescent substance use prevention and early intervention programs. The approach reasons that young people know which approaches and messaging will be most effective for their own age groups. Programs must involve a diverse pool of…

Sharon LevyLevy discusses the historical trends of American opioid usage, with a particular emphasis on the legislation that was passed during periods of higher prevalence. These include the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, the Harrison Drug Act of 1914, the Narcotic Addict Treatment Act (1974), and the Drug…

Researchers tested the efficacy and effectiveness of the University of Vermont Wellness Environment (WE) program through the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) intervention. Participants completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST) three times per year. Initial…

This report is part of the FrameWork Institute’s larger, multi-method project to design and test framing strategies aimed at improving public understanding of adolescent substance use. This report builds on earlier research around gaps between expert and public thinking about adolescent substance use and provides multiple “frame elements” that can…

A third tool in the Legal Action Center’s series on confidentiality regulations as they relate to SBIRT services for youth, this tool outlines how Part 2 applies to common scenarios involving SBIRT. The tool provides guidance around security of records, disclosures to parents and guardians, consent form strategies, and disclosure…

Building upon Tool #1: Fact Sheet and Tool #1: Decision Tree, this tool provides SBIRT providers with an overview of the basic requirements of Part 2. The tool is for providers who have determined that they are covered by Part 2 (see Tool #1: Decision Tree) as well as those…

This tool is the first in the series of fact sheets about how the federal confidentiality regulations around substance use disorder records, known as “42 CFR Part 2” (Part 2), relate to SBIRT services for youth. This first tool is intended to help SBIRT providers determine whether or not they…

This tool is part of the Legal Action Center’s series on confidentiality regulations as they relate to SBIRT services for youth. Building upon “Tool # 1: Fact Sheet”, this tool includes a decision tree to help SBIRT providers determine whether their SBIRT services are subject to federal confidentiality rules for…

The University of Vermont (UVM) Wellness Environment (WE), an incentive-based program focused on health promotion, illness prevention, and behavioral change, is hypothesized to improve health and academic outcomes by incentivizing behaviors that promote positive brain health and decrease normative risk for alcohol and drug use in college students. This article…

Evans et al. studied high school students in upstate New York in an effort to determine whether peer social media posts could reduce teen substance use. The social media intervention was derived from aspects of the Living the Example (LTE) in-person prevention campaign. All social media posts were uploaded by…

This report is part of the FrameWorks Institute’s larger, multi-method project to design and test framing strategies aimed at improving public understanding of adolescent substance use. Drawing on prior research related to the public’s limited understanding of adolescent substance use, the report describes how media and advocacy groups shape public…

This report discusses the results of a 50-state survey of quantitative metrics adopted for state-regulated private health plans and offers a “parity assessment” of those state mental health and substance use disorder provider metrics. The report also describes the federal and state regulatory framework for defining and monitoring network adequacy…

This report discusses the results of 50-state survey of statutory standards limiting the use of prior authorization for substance use disorder (SUD) medications and services in both public and private insurance, and identifies 22 state legislatures that have stepped in to require system-wide removal of some prior authorization requirements. In…

Seattle Children’s Research InstituteThe School-Based SBIRT Playbook is a collection of actions and considerations (called “Plays”) to assist a school district or school with implementing the SB-SBIRT model. The Plays were developed based on the experience of implementing SB-SBIRT across 12 school districts in King County. They are meant to…

King County’s Department of Community and Human Services implemented a school-based SBIRT (SB-SBIRT) model in 42 middle schools. Seattle Children’s Research Institute conducted a process evaluation of this SB-SBIRT program during the first year of implementation (September 2018 –December 2019). The evaluation goals were to explore how the program supported…

This report, entitled “Rethinking Substance Use Prevention: An earlier and broader approach,” presents a compelling, research-based case for integrating what is known from the fields of early childhood development and healthy youth development into substance use prevention. It offers a historical perspective on prevention and describes who is and who…

The Youth SBIRT Research Roundtable: Current Status and Future Directions convened in February 2018 to discuss the current status of research and practice around youth SBIRT as well as identify key gaps and opportunities to increase the knowledge base and expand evidence-based implementation of SBIRT services. Thirteen substance use prevention…

The Reframing Adolescent Substance Use and Its Prevention playbook provides a step-by-step guide to using evidence-based framing strategies to communicate about adolescent substance use. The playbook presents findings from extensive multi-method research to develop and test effective strategies for communicating about adolescent substance use. Explanations of each framing strategy, models…

Raising Resilient Kids is a guide for parents and other caregivers that offers research-based best practices and resources with the goal of fostering positive child development and helping children lead healthy, fulfilling lives. There is also a link to a webinar on the topic hosted by Emmy-winning journalist Elizabeth Vargas…

Kuzma et al. argue that advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) should be taught how to incorporate SBIRT methods into the clinical setting because APRN’s tend to have strong pre-existing relationships with patients. Kuzma et al. selected a cohort of APRN’s to receive a multi-part SBIRT training, which included readings, presentations,…

Wisk, Levy, and Weitzman studied perceptions of marijuana use among parents with chronically ill children (including children with Type 1 diabetes, rheumatic disease, or AD/HD). Parents were asked to complete a survey about their perceptions of the drug, their child’s condition, and their perception of their child’s drug usage. More…

This infographic highlights progress made towards advancing the Hilton Foundation’s Initiative. Research findings shed light on the importance of early intervention, organizing cross-sector coalitions to establish effective evidence-based policies, training health and community service providers on the delivery of prevention and early intervention practices, and engaging peers and parents/ caregivers…

This policy brief summarizes specific Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines that can be leveraged to support SBIRT and other public health approaches to preventing substance use among adolescents. In addition to the summary of each guideline, the policy brief also includes a brief description of the relevance…

Bäck et al. argue for increased focus on addiction education in medical schools in Massachusetts. Survey results indicate that only one tenth of medical students surveyed feel that they receive adequate training around addiction medicine, while almost all respondents reported that addiction medicine is an important area in which to…

This report is the first in the series of studies by the FrameWorks Institute intended to map the communications landscape and develop an evidence-based strategy for demonstrating the importance of understanding and effectively communicating about adolescent substance use, including prevention and early intervention approaches. This study compares experts’ shared understanding…

Young People in RecoveryList of LGBTQ+ recovery resources…

C4 InnovationsProject Amp is a young adult peer-based substance use prevention and early intervention program designed to prevent and reduce substance use among low to moderate risk youth. Project Amp supports the goals of state substance use directors by expanding connections to peer support and enhancing key prevention and early…

In 2016, the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) launched a learning collaborative of safety net health plans to increase access to SBIRT for adolescent Medicaid beneficiaries within primary care settings. Seven participating health plans trained 300 providers in SBIRT at more than 40 provider sites over three years. Tew…

As part of a three-year Improving Access to SBIRT Services for Adolescents learning collaborative, the Center for Health Care Strategies, Inc. created a resource center to provide practical tools and strategies for health plans and providers interested in using SBIRT for adolescents in the primary care setting. The resource center…

As part of a three-year Improving Access to SBIRT Services for Adolescents learning collaborative, the Center for Health Care Strategies, Inc. created a resource center to provide practical tools and strategies for health plans and providers interested in using SBIRT for adolescents in the primary care setting. The resource center…

This report describes the results of a 2016 survey disseminated by Abt Associates to better understand the various approaches to implementation of youth SBIRT utilized across the Hilton Foundation’s grantees. Survey respondents included staff working in medical settings, school-based health centers, and community-based programs. The findings are compared to evidence-based…

This mixed methods study examined the implementation of SBIRT across 27 community mental health organizations (CMHOs) serving adolescents. All participating organizations were expected to implement SBIRT, using CRAFFT and UNCOPE instruments with adolescents aged 15 to 22, and based on the results, deliver a brief intervention and/or referral to treatment.

The Forum for Children’s Well-Being aims to inform a forward-looking agenda for building a stronger research and practice base around the development and implementation of programs, practices, and policies to promote all children’s cognitive, affective, and behavioral health, including those with disabilities. Through public workshops, commissioned papers, and other activities,…

This toolkit consists of 16 resources to expand school-based services for substance use prevention and early intervention – including through Project Amp, a peer-delivered model being implemented in schools across the country. Four resources focus on expansion strategies that highlight specific pathways and policies that have been used to expand…

Koetting and Freed discuss the use of eLearning as a tool to train nursing students in SBIRT procedures. Fifty eight undergraduate nursing students practiced with the learning program SBI with Adolescents by Kognito®, which simulated conversations with potential SBIRT patients. Participants were asked to take pre- and post-test surveys assessing…

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vast shortcomings of our nation’s health system, exacerbating pre-existing health disparities across race, class, ability, and other social demographics. States are struggling to adequately respond to all COVID-related needs, raising concerns about the limitations of their budgets. However, COVID-19 is harming the health and…

Connecting the Dots convened in October of 2018, featuring 30 participants from the health, justice, education, and youth development sectors. The assemblage had three goals: (1) to share the latest research on the characteristics of adolescents at highest risk for poor outcomes related to substance misuse and suicide, (2) to…

Best practices guide to working with peers in recovery support.Young People in Recovery…

This cross-sectional study of all 539 California cities and counties found that jurisdictions differed widely in how they regulated marijuana, and that key public health recommendations and lessons from tobacco control have generally not been adopted, although local innovation is emerging. It concludes that jurisdictions undergoing marijuana legalization may need…

In contrast to recommendations from other professional organizations, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) found that the evidence is insufficient regarding the benefits and harms of alcohol use screening and behavioral counseling with adolescents in the primary care setting. McCarty, Levy, and Harris consider reasons for this incongruence and…

This toolkit provides a roadmap for advocates to identify and leverage a range of funding sources to support the implementation of SBIRT in schools and medical settings. Several policy and advocacy strategies are highlighted throughout that have the potential to bring funding and resources to youth SBIRT initiatives. The first…

This learning brief explores how the Hilton Foundation’s Initiative has advanced the knowledge base for adolescent SBIRT and discusses the Initiative’s contributions to youth substance use prevention policy and practice. The authors discuss findings including: successful implementation of the SBIRT framework in the settings that provide access to large numbers…

The School-Based Health Alliance’s Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) toolkit is a step-by-step guide for school-based health centers (SBHCs) that uses an innovative, evidence-based approach to addressing drug and alcohol use with adolescents. The toolkit is a web-based resource that includes comprehensive training tools for school-based health care…

The Adolescent SBIRT checklist was designed to provide organizations with a detailed but flexible step-by-step guide for integrating SBIRT into routine health care. The checklist features ten key steps: (1) gain commitment from senior leadership, (2) build a strong multidisciplinary implementation team, (3) conduct organization workflow analysis, (4) develop a…

NORC at the University of Chicago created an Adolescent SBIRT Curriculum that offers skills-based training on Adolescent Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). The curriculum includes an Instructor’s Toolkit and two web-based simulation programs – SBI with Adolescents and SBI with Adolescents: Comorbid Substance Use and Mental Health…

Connors et al. examined the internal consistency and factor structure of an adapted form of the Drug and Drug Problems Perceptions Questionnaire (DDPPQ) to assess providers’ perceptions of adolescent substance use. Initial evidence suggests that the adapted DDPPQ is appropriate for use with pediatric providers. The adapted measure was deemed…

Levy and Weitzman surveyed 527 adolescents presenting for routine medical care to assess whether they had experienced acute psychotic symptoms (anxiety, paranoia, or hallucinations) during or right after marijuana use. Most study respondents were female (71.2%) and non-Hispanic white (76.7%). 27.4% of respondents reported hallucinations, 33.6% reported paranoia or anxiety,…

The enormous public health impact of adolescent substance use and its preventable morbidity and mortality show the need for the health care sector, including pediatricians and the medical home, to increase its capacity related to substance use prevention, detection, assessment, and intervention. The American Academy of Pediatrics published its policy…

AAP Clinical Report The enormous public health impact of adolescent substance use and its preventable morbidity and mortality highlight the need for the health care sector, including pediatricians and the medical home, to increase its capacity regarding adolescent substance use screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT). The American…

Kristen L. Paquette, Laura A. Pannella Winn, Catriona M. Wilkey, Kathleen N. Ferreira, & Laura Rose W. DoneganWhile SBIRT has emerged as a promising public health framework and there is a growing body of research to support its use with adolescents, healthcare settings, schools, and community-based settings are slow to…

Mary M. Ramos, Teddy Warner, Daisy V. Rosero, & Timothy P. CondonRamos et al. explore the CHISPA (Cocaine, Heroin, IV drugs, Synthetic Pot, Pot, Alcohol) screening instrument which was developed to gather specific information on recent substance use experience to inform brief interventions for adolescents with positive CRAFFT screens. In…

AboutOur goal is to advance innovative approaches to prevent and reduce youth substance use and promote long-lasting health and wellbeing. As such, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing in working with The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has been a proud funder of youth substance use prevention programming. After many years…

This change package outlines a framework for implementing adolescent SBIRT within primary care. The framework includes operational guidance for adopting foundational change management strategies to create optimal conditions for change, as well as clinical areas for action for SBIRT implementation.