Yakama Nation Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Program - Project Title: Yakama Nation Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Program The Yakama Nation (YN) SBIRT Program will expand access to culturally responsive screening, brief intervention, referral to treatment, and recovery support services for youth and adults residing on or near the Yakama Nation Reservation in Washington State. The project will integrate evidence-based substance use screening and intervention services into behavioral health, primary care, school-based, and community settings. More than 50% of participants served will be youth ages 12-21, including those with chronic or complex physical health, behavioral health, and substance use-related conditions. Services will begin within four months of award and be sustained through integration into YN behavioral health systems. The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation serve more than 31,000 individuals across 1.37 million acres in south-central Washington. The project will serve 300 unduplicated individuals annually (175 youth and 125 adults), for a total of 1,500 individuals over five years. The population of focus includes youth and adults at risk for or experiencing substance use disorders, co-occurring mental health conditions, trauma-related concerns, opioid/fentanyl use, alcohol misuse, and nicotine or vaping-related concerns. The project will implement the SBIRT model through Tiináwit Awtni Shlxwltpama, the Yakama Nation Community Clinic, Yakama Nation Tribal Schools, and public schools in White Swan, Toppenish, and Wapato. Evidence-based interventions include Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Brief Intervention, Living in Balance (LIB) for Brief Treatment, peer recovery support, referral to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), detoxification and residential treatment, family engagement, and wraparound care coordination. Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Increase identification of substance use and co-occurring behavioral health conditions through implementation of standardized SBIRT protocols by Month 4, annual screening of at least 300 individuals, and comprehensive assessment of 90% of positive screens. Goal 2: Increase access to Brief Intervention and Brief Treatment by providing services to at least 128 individuals in each category during the project period and maintaining annual staff competency in MI, CBT, and LIB. Goal 3: Improve referral completion and treatment engagement by ensuring 90% of individuals needing specialty treatment receive a documented referral and warm handoff, providing peer recovery support to at least 100 individuals, and increasing access to detoxification, residential treatment, MAT, and recovery supports. Goal 4: Strengthen workforce capacity and system integration by training at least 75% of participating staff by the end of Year 1 and integrating SBIRT protocols and performance monitoring into organizational workflows by the end of Year 2. Goal 5: Increase family engagement and community awareness through four annual outreach events reaching at least 125 individuals per year and providing substance use education and referral information to parents and caregivers. Through these strategies, the Yakama Nation SBIRT Program will reduce substance use, increase treatment engagement and retention, improve health outcomes, strengthen recovery support systems, and expand access to culturally responsive behavioral health services for AIAN youth, adults, and families.
