Integrating SBIRT into the Social Work Curriculum: The Results of a Qualitative Study

Background and Purpose: Risky alcohol and drug use in the United States are reaching staggering levels.  A National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that 6.4% of people aged 12 or older, or 17 million people, met the criteria for an alcohol use disorder in the United States in 2014.  Additionally, 10.2% of the U.S. population, or 27 million people, reported using illicit drugs, and 7.1 million people had an illicit drug use disorder.  Combining all substances, this study found that approximately 21.5 million people aged 12 or older, or 8.1% of the US population, met the criteria for a substance use disorder, including about 2.6 million people with both an alcohol and illicit drug use disorder.  The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has funded Screening Brief Intervention Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) grants to universities to provide training and conduct research on the dissemination of SBIRT among social workers and other health care professionals.  There is limited research evidence related to integrating SBIRT content into existing social work education curriculum. This qualitative study explored the process and content issues surrounding the integration of SBIRT content into the Masters of Social Work (MSW) and Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) curricula at one SAMHSA funded university. 

Methods: All MSW and MSN faculty members were invited to participate.  Using a semi structured interview guide, face to face and telephone interviews were conducted with 19 of the 26 eligible faculty members, representing a 73% response rate. Interviews were recorded with the consent of participants and erased upon verbatim transcription.  The transcribed interviews were analyzed using ATLAS.ti for thematic content as guided by the interview questions.  The Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects at the university determined that the study met the criteria for exemption.

Results: Guidelines for the successful integration of SBIRT content into MSW and MSN curriculum fell into three thematic areas: 1. Relinquishing ownership of curriculum development, including SBIRT integration, to current faculty – to allow them to own the process.  2. Using a scaffolded approach.  SBIRT includes several unique content areas and content should be integrated per competencies addressed in each course and build upon those in previous courses.  3. Being creative in where the content fits and how it is presented.  SBIRT is an evidence based practice shown to reduce risky substance use.  SBIRT content areas lend themselves to a holistic view of the approach, including integration into an array of courses, and employing an array of learning techniques and teaching materials. 

Conclusions and Implications:  These findings extend beyond SBIRT content and have implications for all curricular changes.  Findings highlight the importance of faculty involvement in the development and integration of any new curriculum.  Implications for social work education propose a focus on process and content issues in equal measure when introducing curricular changes.  Faculty offer rich, creative ideas that enhance social work education when offered the opportunity for reflection and input.