Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is a program developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide screening, intervention, and referrals intended to stop alcohol and substance abuse before they become serious problems. In effect since 2010, the SBIRT approach has demonstrated that it is an effective way to reduce alcohol and substance abuse.

Substance use disorder (SUD) services include utilization within a primary care clinic, hospital, or other medical setting or school setting of a valid and reliable tool approved by the State for SBI and/or SBIRT to identify unhealthy substance use, and to provide a brief intervention when indicated.

The following enrolled Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) providers are eligible to provide SBIRT:

• Advanced practice registered nurses
• Clinical nurse specialists
• Licensed alcohol and drug counselors
• Licensed independent clinical social workers
• Licensed marriage and family therapists
• Licensed professional clinical counselors
• Licensed psychologists
• Nurse midwives
• Nurse practitioners
• Physician assistants
• Physicians
• Psychiatric nurse practitioners
• Psychiatrists
• Tribal certified professionals

Effective January 1, 2023, if a screen result is positive for SUD, the SBIRT establishes medical necessity and approval for an initial set of SUD services identified in MN Stat. 254B.05, subd. 5. The initial set of services approved for a member whose screen result is positive may include any combination of up to four hours of individual or group SUD treatment, and two hours of SUD treatment coordination or two hours of SUD peer support services provided by a qualified individual according to MN Stat. Chap. 245G, totaling six hours.

Billing

Screening Tools for Primary Care Providers

Primary care providers are asked to screen their patients at least annually for alcohol and drug use. This is called the Screening and Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) process.

Why screen? According to the Guideline for Alcohol and Substance Use: Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), “Brief motivational conversations with patients can promote significant, lasting reduction in risky use of alcohol and other drugs. Nearly 30% of adult Americans engage in unhealthy use of alcohol and/or other drugs, yet very few are identified or participate in a conversation that could prevent injury, disease or more severe use disorders.”

The approved SBIRT screening tools are short, simple to administer, and include instructions for conducting the screening and intervention strategies. If, following the screening, a member needs a referral for a more thorough substance use assessment, the member is referred to a substance use disorder (SUD) treatment provider or qualified professional to complete a comprehensive assessment.

PrimeWest Health reimburses providers for conducting SBIRT screenings if billed with the following codes:

1. G2011: Alcohol and/or substance (other than tobacco) abuse structured assessment (AUDIT, DAST, CAGE, etc.) and brief intervention, 5 – 14 minutes
2. G0396: Alcohol and/or substance (other than tobacco) abuse structured assessment (AUDIT, DAST, CAGE, etc.) and brief intervention, 15 – 30 minutes
3. G0397: Alcohol and/or substance (other than tobacco) abuse structured assessment (AUDIT, DAST, CAGE, etc.) and intervention, greater than 30 minutes 

The following screens/structured assessments are accepted for use in the SBIRT process (this list is not exhaustive). Members must obtain an assessment to be approved for additional treatment services.

• ASSIST – Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test
• AUDIT – Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
• AUDIT-C
• CAGE (Cut Down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener)
• CRAFFT (Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Family or Friends, Trouble)
• DAST (Drug Abuse Screening Test)
• DAST-A
• MAST (Michigan Alcohol Screening Test)
• NIDA Drug Use Screening Tool
• POSIT (Problem-Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers)
• TWEAK (Tolerance, Worried, Eye-openers, Amnesia, [K] Cut down)

Documentation of SBIRT

Documentation must support SBIRT services provided by a qualified provider. Documentation must include all of the following information:

• Date of service
• Session start and stop times or total face-to-face time with the patient
• Scope of intervention (screening tool used, positive or negative results of screening, and completion of brief intervention)
• Next steps, i.e., referral to treatment was made or another screening or brief intervention is needed
• Document rationale for recommendation
• Name and signature and credential of provider

PW_11-19_593
Updated_09/17/2025