SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment) is widely recommended for adolescents in primary care and other settings.
SBIRT lacks substantial evidence of effectiveness, feasibility, and developmental appropriateness for adolescents.
SBIRT-A is a set of recommended adaptations to the SBIRT model to better serve the developmental needs of adolescents.
Key adaptations in SBIRT-A include reliance upon proactive (versus reactive) methods to identify and engage youth; innovation in service delivery aimed at improving the consistency and reach of interventions; and a family-focused approach to engagement, assessment, and intervention.