Testimony for Scott Burns
Deputy Director for State, Local, and Tribal Affairs
Office of National Drug Control Policy
Before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee
May 17, 2007
Intervening and Healing Drug Users
Access to Recovery and Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment both
include initiatives with a focus on Native Americans. These programs are key components of the
National Drug Control Strategy and ONDCP priorities.
Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment
A key component of expanding the Nation’s treatment capacity lies in early detection and
engaging health professionals in the identification, counseling, referral, and ongoing medical
management of persons with substance use disorders. The Department of Health and Human
Services offers grants through the Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment
(SBIRT) program to States, territories, and tribal organizations to provide effective early
identification and intervention in general medical settings. Currently, the Cook Inlet Tribal
Council is participating. This program is based on research showing that by simply asking
questions regarding unhealthy behaviors and conducting brief interventions, patients are more
likely to avoid the behavior in the future and seek help if they believe they have problem. The
programs are based in clinical settings, a location that has a high propensity to attract higher-risk
populations, who through violence, accidents or health-related problems, are seen by medical
professionals.
To date, Federally-funded SBIRT programs have been established in 17 states and one
tribal organization. In addition to the 10 state grants awarded in 2003 and 2006, 12 universities
and colleges have received funding to develop a screening and intervention model to be used on
campuses. The Office of National Drug Control Policy works closely with the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Administration to monitor the success of these programs and to highlight the
benefits of early screening and intervention. As part of the FY08 budget, $41.2 million is
requested for this important initiative.
For those referred to treatment because they have become addicted, the Administration is
working to expand options for treatment. The Access to Recovery Program (ATR) program at
HHS is a key source of innovation in the field of addiction recovery. The program provides
clients with a voucher for treatment as well as recovery support services. The program expands
treatment options to include faith and community-based providers so that clients can choose their
own path to recovery. This is especially useful in the Native American community and is being
used by the California Rural Indian Health Board.
Many people who experience addiction face barriers to treatment, from finding child care
while they are in a recovery program to accessing transportation services to take part in job
training. ATR provides recovery support services such as child care, transportation vouchers,
and mentoring services.
The program is now in 14 States and one tribal organization and, as of December 2006,
has served over 137,500 individuals who sought treatment and recovery support services in the
grantee States. This number far exceeds the programs target of 125,000 clients expected to be
served over 3 years. The program requires that States provide outcome data so patient progress
can be measured and best practices learned for future generations. The President’s FY08 request
for ATR is $98 million.
Last Updated: May 24, 2007
