With funding from NCDHHS, Project AWARE is able to offer SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) training via Appalachian State University at no cost to the first 300 applicants!

SBIRT

• is brief
• is comprehensive
• decreases the severity of drug and alcohol use (early intervention with SBIRT saves lives and money and is consistent with overall support for patient/client wellness)
• reduces health care costs
• is used in various settings (by doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, counselors and other service providers)

Users of this technique employ a variety of tools including AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test), DAST (Drug Abuse Screening Test) and CRAFFT (Adolescent Screening Tool). Motivational Interviewing is at the core of SBIRT training.

There are two components to this free training; online asynchronous modules and a synchronous workshop. 

You can also register here.

Everyone deserves a path to recovery from substance use disorders, and treatment can be the first step. You can make a difference in the lives of your patients. 

This could be the year you make a new difference in the lives of your patients! Whether your patient is taking a Dry January break from alcohol or working through recovery from substance use disorder long-term, every step forward counts!

Find resources to help better treat and support them: samhsa.gov/medications-substance-use-disorders/provider-support 

We have a new learning opportunity from Northwest AHEC called the Podcast Learning Series. Now you can listen to select episodes of our Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina podcast and earn continuing education credits. And it’s free!

The podcast format allows you to listen at your convenience and multitask while listening. I personally like to do my cardio workout or weight training while consuming podcast content, and sometimes find myself listening while cooking, cleaning, or doing yard work. It's a great way to optimize your learning and your life activities.

This first episode in this Podcast Learning Series is on homelessness in Forsyth County. In this episode you will learn about the main causes of homelessness in our region, the services provided by service organizations in Forsyth County, and the challenges of serving the homeless population and finding permanent housing.

Once you have finished the episode you can take the short post-test to receive 1 hour of CE credit. And another bonus is that this is offered to you at no cost aside from your time and attention.

You can link directly to the course, register and listen here: https://northwestahec.wakehealth.edu/courses-and-events/72832/podcast-ce-series-homelessness-in-forsyth-county 

Alternatively, you can listen to Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina wherever you get your podcast content (Spotify, Google, Apple, Soundcloud, etc.). Simply search for "Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina" and look for Episode 87 featuring William McDonald, Director of the Bethesda Center for the Homeless in Winston-Salem, NC. 

Once you have listened you can register for the course, take the post-test and claim your 1 hour CE credit.

I hope you find our episodes timely and relevant to your practice. And finally, if you have a topic or know of a person that you think would be great to have on the podcast, please don’t hesitate to reach out and let me know. I am always looking for interesting topics and presenters to have on the podcast.

Join the Practice Support Team at Northwest AHEC in observing Recovery Month. 

Unhealthy alcohol use is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States. 

Risky drinking is associated with:

• Cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, colon, liver and breast
• Liver disease
• Stroke
• Heart Disease
• Pancreatitis
• Injuries and accidents
• Miscarriages / still birth
• Depression and Suicide

Veterans Day is November 11, 2021. Join us as we celebrate and honor all veterans for their service, sacrifice and willingness to serve for the common good.