Guide Aimed at Improving Screening in the E.R.

A new guide distributed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration hopes to improve substance abuse treatment in the trauma care situation, where excessive drinking is often the cause of injuries treated in emergency departments. The goal of the guide is to integrate substance abuse treatment with primary and general care.

The guide, Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) for Trauma Patients: Committee on Trauma Quick Guide, is designed to help trauma center staff understand how substance abuse treatment can fit into their routine care.

"Because excessive drinking is a risk factor for injuries and nearly half of trauma center patients can test positive for alcohol, centers need a strategy for dealing with hazardous drinking behavior," according to a SAMSHA news release. "Trauma center staff will learn about a variety of screening methods to identify problem drinking and how to address the needs of patients who still have enough control over their drinking that they can be motivated to cut down or quit."

The guide is a collaborative effort for SAMHSA with the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Free copies of the guide can be ordered online or by calling 1-877-726-4727. Request inventory number SMA 07-4266. The guide can also be downloaded online in PDF format.

More Information:

• Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) for Trauma Patients (PDF)
  
• Emergency Room Ideal for Alcohol Intervention
  
• Undiagnosed - Ignoring the Symptoms

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