Alaska will train providers in November to screen for risky substance use

The Alaska Division of Behavioral Health will train providers in November to spot substance use problems and encourage healthy behavior change, the division announced Thursday.

The three-part virtual series covers an approach called Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment, or SBIRT, along with motivational interviewing. As the name suggests, SBIRT has three steps: screening for risky substance use, a brief intervention and a referral to treatment when it's needed. The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration describes it as early intervention and treatment for people with substance use disorders and for those at risk of developing them.

Alaska recorded 1,973 drug overdose deaths from 2015 through 2024, according to its 2024 overdose mortality update. Deaths fell 5% in 2024, to 339 from 357 the year before, Alaska News reported Aug. 23.

In 2024, American Indian and Alaska Native people died of overdoses at a rate of 101.9 per 100,000, more than twice the statewide rate of 45.6. Anchorage had the highest regional rate, 74.0. The Mat-Su's rate rose to 47.8 from 32.2 in 2023.

Anchorage fire crews have answered about 10% fewer opioid overdose calls this year than last, though the department doesn't know why, Alaska News reported Oct. 7.

The state has paid for this kind of training before. In 2022 and 2023, a $150,000 federal grant helped two home-visiting programs, Cook Inlet Tribal Council and Alaska Family Services, train staff in SBIRT, motivational interviewing, naloxone use and overdose risks, according to the state's opioid response report to the Legislature.

The November series runs from Nov. 4 to Nov. 20, with each part offered twice. The last part is hands-on skills practice, open only to providers who attended a motivational interviewing session. Each of those practice sessions is limited to eight people.