Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc.

Program Description

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) is funding Connections SBIRT—developed by Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC) in partnership with the Southcentral Foundation (SCF)—$1.672 million per year for 5 years to provide screening, referral, brief intervention, and treatment services for adults and adolescents in primary health care settings and generalist community settings in Anchorage, Alaska.

Program Model

Screening

Conducted by specialists using the AUDIT and one drug use question.

Brief Intervention

Consists of minimally two or maximum of five 15-minute sessions (occurring once monthly) using motivational interviewing and FRAMES. FRAMES consists of feedback, responsibility, advice, menu of options, empathy, and self efficacy. This is incorporated into basic alcohol/drug education and goal setting to lower or eliminate high-risk potential.

Brief Therapy

Between six and eight sessions (occurring once weekly between 30 and 60 minutes each) focused on educating the client about substance abuse, building the client's motivation to quit, identifying the client's drinking/drugging pattern, and identifying situations that may cause relapse using Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA) methods. CRA consists of community reinforcers, motivational interviewing, goal setting, negotiating, empowerment, and nonjudgmental support and rapport to assist in abstinence or harm reduction of substance use.

Referral

Patients are assessed and referred to traditional treatment and continuing care. If the client is waitlisted, the program offers pre-treatment groups, one-on-one counseling, and case management for up to 6 months.

Service Features

  • Assessment is conducted using an instrument that CITC has developed over 9 years of working with the Alaska Native population, which includes the ASI lite, ASAM criteria, and DSM checklist, as well as supplemental questions to enhance the cultural appropriateness and relevance.
  • Recruitment is conducted through SCF's Primary Care Center and CITC's Service Departments, which conduct screenings on all applicants for services. Additionally announcements for the project are frequently presented in the community and within the CIRI family through press releases, newspaper ads, and broadcasts by Koahnic Broadcast.

Connections SBIRT Treatment Agencies

  • The Ernie Turner Center
  • Southcentral Foundation Dena A Coy
  • AKEELA
  • CITC Outpatient Services
  • Genesis
  • Salvation Army Clitheroe

Program Effectiveness

As of July 3, 2008, a total of 23,125 patients have received services through this program. Of these, 15.6 percent (3,602) screened positive and received an intervention and/or additional services for substance use.

Cook Inlet SBIRT services as of July 3, 2008:

  • Screened 17,181 patients
  • Provided brief intervention to 3,602 patients
  • Provided brief treatment to 700 patients
  • Referred 1,642 patients to treatment

Contact Information

Shannon Sommer, Project Director
Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc.
AK SBIRT
3600 San Jeronimo
Anchorage AK 99508
(907) 793-3201