Thirteenth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

Responding to the growing need for supportive, evidence based, services to assist students with substance use challenges, a university in the mid-west United States, created a pilot program for substance use screening of college students via an interdisciplinary peer-to-peer framework. The screening program focuses on providing supportive and educational services through the Screen, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model. SBIRT is an evidence-based model which offers early intervention services for substance use. This comprehensive and confidential approach allows for integrated and early intervention for those at-risk of substance use disorders while decreasing potential stigma or punitive responses. The center sought to offer screening services for students and increase practice skills for the Graduate Assistants (GAs) working in the student run health center. GAs receive specialized training and hands-on experience to improve practice skills while offering a vital service to peers. The peer-to-peer approach allows for increased discussion and screening with an opportunity to create improved trust and understanding. The innovative interdisciplinary framework of the screening program was developed to offer a low budget program while decreasing barriers to service, specifically for substance use disorders, however the framework can be easily adapted to focus on a variety of health care supports. A review and synthesis from the 16-month pilot program, including identification of themes, potential policy and practice implications, and discussion emerged. This paper identifies strategies for successful implementation of a peer-to-peer program, challenges for consideration, sustainability, and implications of substance use on college campuses.