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The Washington State Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (WASBIRT) Project

In the fall of 2003, the Washington State Office of the Governor was awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) for a five-year project called the Washington State Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (WASBIRT) Program. The Governor's Office directed the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA) of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to implement the WASBIRT Project in nine large hospital emergency departments across the state. The project provides brief interventions, brief therapy, and, in some cases, chemical dependency treatment to emergency department patients who screen positive for substance use disorders. Over the course of the five-year project, an estimated 122,905 emergency department patients will be screened for these disorders, and about half of these are expected to receive at least a brief intervention to address their substance use disorder. Ninety percent of the $3.5 million invested annually by CSAT in this project is allocated directly to clinical services.

The DSHS Research and Data Analysis Division (RDA) is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the WASBIRT Project and conducting a thorough evaluation of the outcomes. Preliminary reports on changes in substance use behavior and medical assistance cost outcomes demonstrate encouraging results. Average days of drinking and drug use have declined, and abstinence rates have increased based on six-month follow-up surveys conducted with a sample of patients who received at least a brief intervention. In addition, Medicaid costs appear to be reduced for patients with substance use disorders who received a brief intervention or additional forms of treatment. The evaluation will continue through the fall of 2008, and additional reports on the effectiveness of the WASBIRT Project will be issued.