Quality SBHC providers blend clinical competence and effective collaboration in the education setting. It is a highly skilled and multi-faceted role. To ensure quality of substance use-related care for adolescents, it is imperative that both pre-professional and continuing education programs equip SBHCs accordingly.

Training for providers at all levels (pre-professional and continuing education) should address:

  • Adolescent development, as well as adolescent-specific substance use treatment
  • Strategies for minimizing stigma related to substance use and mental health conditions
  • Appropriate use of standardized screening tools
  • Adolescent-specific motivational interviewing strategies
  • Concepts of trauma-informed care and their application to adolescent settings
  • Strategies for managing vicarious trauma/compassion fatigue

SBHC staff should also receive specific training on school collaboration and integration, grounded in the Alliance’s core competencies. SBHC staff providing SBIRT should receive training on differences between HIPAA, FERPA, and 42 CFR confidentiality protections in school health settings.

Videos

In this video, an SBHC provider and administrator discusses developing workflow protocols for SBIRT.

In this video, an SBHC provider and administrator shares strategies for training and support SBHC staff who implement SBIRT.