Implementing Trauma Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (T-SBIRT) within Employment Services: A Feasibility Trial. Am J Community Psychol 2019 Dec;64(3-4):298-309
Date
08/03/2019Pubmed ID
31373008DOI
10.1002/ajcp.12361Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85070062082 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 15 CitationsAbstract
Research suggests that low-income adults accessing employment services have experienced high levels of trauma exposure and associated consequences. Moreover, the health-related effects of trauma undermine employment and employability. A trauma-informed protocol-trauma screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment or T-SBIRT-was therefore implemented within employment service programs serving low-income urban residents. To assess the feasibility of integrating T-SBIRT within employment services, five domains were explored as follows: suitability, acceptability, client adherence, provider adherence or fidelity, and intended outcomes. With a sample of low-income adults (N = 83), the study revealed that T-SBIRT is suitable for employment service participants given high rates of trauma exposure (90.4% experienced two or more lifetime traumas), along with high rates of positive screening results for post-traumatic stress disorder (48.8%), major depression (35.4%), and generalized anxiety (47.6%). Study participants appeared to find T-SBIRT acceptable as evidenced by an 83% acceptance rate. All participants accepting T-SBIRT services completed them, revealing strong client adherence. Provider adherence or model fidelity was high, that is, 98.5%. Finally, the majority of participants accepted a referral to a mental health care (i.e., 56.6%), and over three-quarters accepted a referral to any outside service including primary or mental health care. Implications of findings are discussed.
Author List
Topitzes J, Mersky JP, Mueller DJ, Bacalso E, Williams CAuthor
Daria J. Mueller PhD Research Scientist II in the Emergency Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAdult
Employment
Feasibility Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Mass Screening
Middle Aged
Referral and Consultation
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Wounds and Injuries
Young Adult
