Arizona Receives $7.5 Million Federal Grant for Screening and Brief Intervention

Arizona has received a $7.5 million federal grant to help primary care providers identify patients at risk for, or who have, underlying substance abuse problems that might otherwise go undetected and untreated.

The state’s Department of Health Services says the funds will help reduce the number of deaths related to substance abuse, and decrease the prevalence of substance abuse, the Associated Press reports.

The funding will allow personnel in several community health centers and a hospital emergency department to receive training in Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment, a proven screening tool to identify patients who are at risk of substance abuse problems, or who have underlying substance abuse problems that might go untreated.

The grant, provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will also provide funding for training on how to conduct a brief intervention, which may include education about binge drinking, heavy drinking, and/or the effects of drugs on the body.

“Using a standardized approach gives providers an effective way to screen individuals for potential substance abuse and then take the most appropriate action,” Dr. Laura Nelson, Deputy Director for Behavioral Health Services, said in a news release.