DCoE January Webinar Addresses Alcohol Misuse Among Service Members

By DCoE Strategic Communications

Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) will host its next webinar, “Addressing Alcohol Misuse Among Service Members: The SBIRT Model,” Jan. 26 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. (EST).

Did You Know?

Risky, hazardous and heavy drinking is steadily rising among service members and veterans. A 2008 study showed that rates of heavy alcohol use among service members increased from 15 percent in 1998 to 20 percent in 2008. Although the Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provide alcohol treatment services, many service members and veterans are reluctant to seek care because of possible career consequences and stigma. Secondary prevention methods such as screening and brief interventions in non-specialty settings, may engage service members at an early stage of risky or hazardous drinking who otherwise would remain undetected and untreated.

Are You Aware of SBIRT?

The screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment model (also referred to as SBIRT) is a system-level approach to identify and treat persons with drinking problems. Research from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has demonstrated that this treatment model is effective in identifying service members at risk of developing serious alcohol problems, reducing the frequency or severity of alcohol use and increasing the percentage of patients who enter specialized alcohol treatment. The treatment model is consistent with the VA/Defense Department Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Substance Use Disorders and will aid health care providers in integrating a step-by-step process for clinical decision-making.

Featured speakers are:

 ■Stephen O’Neill, MA, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and SAMHSA State Grantee, Georgia BASICS, project director

■Dr. Katharine Bradley, MPH, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, affiliate associate professor

All professionals who care for service members are encouraged to attend, including service members and their families. To register or for more information, please email: DCoE.MonthlyWebinar@tma.osd.mil.

Continuing Education Units and Continuing Medical Education credits are now available. Click here for details.

Follow us on Twitter@DCoEPage during the webinar for live Tweeting and use #DCoEWebinar to join the conversation.

For previous DCoE monthly webinar topics, presentations, audio recordings and resources, visit the webinar section of the DCoE website.