Another Way of Talking About Substance Abuse: Substance Abuse Screening and Brief Intervention in a Mental Health Clinic

Suzanne Spear; Shaquita Tillman; Colby Moss; Elizabeth Gong-Guy; Loretta Ransom; Richard A Rawson

doi:10.1080/10911350902992797

Another Way of Talking About Substance Abuse: Substance Abuse Screening and Brief Intervention in a Mental Health Clinic

J Hum Behav Soc Environ. 2009;19(8):959-977. doi: 10.1080/10911350902992797.

Authors

Suzanne Spear¹, Shaquita Tillman, Colby Moss, Elizabeth Gong-Guy, Loretta Ransom, Richard A Rawson

Affiliation

¹ David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.

Abstract

This article provides experiential evidence on the transportability of the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) screening tool and brief intervention in a mental health clinic. There is very little published information on implementing screening and brief intervention (SBI) in a mental health setting. Moreover, few SBI projects have reported on clinicians' experiences using the ASSIST. The article documents a successful attempt at implementing the ASSIST and discusses the benefits and challenges of doing SBI in a mental health setting.

Abstract

Grants and funding