Process

Setting up SBIRT in Schools may feel like a big task. This page is designed to walk you through steps to set up or improve upon an existing process. The following categories will give you some tips and resources. Contact us with questions or if you need support.

SBIRT in Schools works best with multiple stakeholders contributing time and expertise. Gather stakeholders across your school who may be able to support or provide a function (nursing, counseling, administration). Identify staffing that could contribute to the screening team that will foster safety and support. Connect with resources outside the school to create a community map of organizations that can support students and provide professional insights.

Local and regional resources:

• DPH School Health Unit Regional Nurse Consultants
• BSAS local and regional resources

Each district and school has unique qualities. Understanding your environment will help to sort through approaches that balance accountability and compassion while maintaining safe and supportive schools. The following are some resources that will help you to understand your environment and policy landscape.

• Review available data: Local and national data
• Review guidance on substance use policies: DESE Guidance on school policies regarding substance use prevention

Developing a plan that articulates goals and workflows will help to create a streamlined process. Use the checklists to name contributors, specify processes, and develop your workflow.

• SBIRT in Schools planning checklist

The goal of SBIRT in Schools is to facilitate skill development to have supportive conversations about substance use with students. Honoring student autonomy in decision-making while creating a sense of accountability takes some practice. Join for foundational skill building and in-depth trainings to help you feel better equipped to have these and other behavior change conversations.

Transparency and communication are key factors to build community and have a successful SBIRT in Schools process. Key time points for effective communication include:

• Communicating with caregivers before the school year
  • Caregivers webpage
  • Sample parent letter
• Posting (up to date) policies and resources on school website
  • DESE Guidance on developing, reviewing, revising school policies regarding substance use
• Establishing communication methods for SBIRT in Schools team
• Develop sample scripts
• Communicate findings back to stakeholder teams

Data plays an impactful role at multiple points in the SBIRT in Schools process. Here’s some tips on gathering, understanding, compiling, reporting and utilizing data.

• Gather local data to understand prevalence, trends and regional aspects.
  • Check out resources for local data
• Review prior year screening results
• Prepare for data collection
  • Data collection resources
• Report back to stakeholders
  • What does your data mean?
  • How can you use data to inform process improvement and substance use supports?