Web-Based Training for EAP Alcohol Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral

DESCRIPTION provided by applicant Excessive alcohol consumption is a public health concern that causes approximately deaths each year in the United States and costs the economy an estimated $ billion in annual medical social and productivity losses Because the large majority of adults with alcohol disorders is employed and Employee Assistance Programs EAPs are resources in of U S businesses EAPs are uniquely positioned to address this public health concern Over the last years one of the Co Principal Investigators and Co Investigators on this proposal has sought to change this by facilitating the creation of the EAP Brief Intervention Group BIG Initiative The BIG initiative brings together the major EAP corporate leaders the EAP clinical professional associations and others for the express purpose of making alcohol screening brief intervention and referral to treatment SBIRT the routine practice across the EAP industry There is an extensive body of research that demonstrates the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of alcohol SBIRT In collaboration with BIG initiative organizations and EAP professional associations we propose to develop and evaluate the SBIRT Training andamp Support Tool which combines online training in SBIRT including use of motivational interviewing techniques with interactive mobile web alcohol screening and intervention tools to guide EAP and behavioral health practitionersandapos use of SBIRT Content for alcohol SBIRT will be derived from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuseandapos s evidence based materials The SBIRT Training component will provide practitioners with the skills knowledge motivation and self efficacy to a screen their clients for unhealthy alcohol use with validated screening tools b provide brief motivational interviewing informed intervention and c make appropriate referrals In Phase the training program will a further develop the Phase content and b expand the curriculum to include additional validated alcohol screening tools In addition the SBIRT Support Tool component will be developed as a web mobile interface for practitioners to use interactive screening and brief intervention forms with a prompts for validated questions in the screening and intervention b motivational interviewing informed dialogue suggestions c online resources i e standard drink list importance confidence rulers and d alcohol education and referral information This Phase product will be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial with EAP practitioners In addition a random sample of participants in each experimental group will participate in simulated case study phone counseling sessions which will be used to assess participantsandapos ability to implement SBIRT skills Our BIG Initiative partners see the critical need for this product and are committed to implementing alcohol SBIRT in their EAPs and allied organizations We intend to commercialize the SBIRT Training andamp Support Tool as a key component of ORCASandapos mHealth platform with an emphasis on the EAP market and EAP affiliated behavioral health organizations PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE Excessive alcohol consumption is a significant public health concern that costs the U S economy $ billion annually Employee Assistance Programs EAPs are uniquely positioned to address this public health concern through the screening of employees for problem alcohol use and the delivery of a brief intervention This project will develop and evaluate an SBIRT Training andamp Support Tool which combines online training in SBIRT including use of motivational interviewing techniques with interactive mobile web alcohol screening tools to guide EAP practitionersandapos use of SBIRT with individual clients