Meeting Summary
WIPHL/SBIRT Fact Sheet
Barriers and Progress Toward SBIRT Implementation
Barriers and Progress Toward SBIRT Implementation, part 2
Small Group Discussion Summaries
Help WIPHL Grow

Meeting Summary
Nearly 100 representatives from all corners of the health care system--including medical professionals, insurance providers and purchasers, legislators, employers, and public agencies--gathered in Madison on September 9, 2009 for a "special event for thought leaders," as it was billed, convened by WIPHL and the Wisconsin Medical Society.

The meeting's purpose was to inform key stakeholders about SBIRT (screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment) and provide a forum from which to build concerted support for expanding the program. WIPHL is currently implementing SBIRT at nearly 20 primary care clinics throughout Wisconsin with federal funding that continues until mid-2011.

Numerous studies have shown that SBIRT saves lives and money, mostly by identifying and treating risky drinking and drug use at even the earliest stages of misuse (one such study showed that the program saves $4 for every $1 spent). Savings come largely from decreases in the costly consequences of substance abuse, including ER visits, hospitalizations, car crashes, and criminal justice proceedings.

Cost-effectiveness is a key reason why the state of Wisconsin, despite a huge budget shortfall, in January will extend SBIRT services to all Medicaid/BadgerCare recipients, announced Department of Health Services Secretary Karen Timberlake in the meeting's opening address.

With money so tight, Timberlake said, the state asked, "How can we conserve it, save it, redirect it, push it upstream into more preventive programs? That's really what SBIRT is all about and that's part of the genius of the program."

Extending coverage to all Medicaid recipients means that more than 700,000 Wisconsin residents will be covered for SBIRT services next year, said Timberlake--a dramatic increase from Medicaid's current SBIRT coverage for pregnant women only.

Timberlake's announcement drew hearty applause, highlighting that the question of the day was not whether to expand SBIRT, but when and how, especially in the face of limited federal funding.

Timberlake and other speakers--who included Susan Turney, MD, the Wisconsin Medical Society's CEO/EVP; Robert Golden, MD, dean of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health; state Rep. Jon Richards; Dianne Kiehl, exective director, Business Health Care Group; and Lon Blaser, DO, CPE, chief medical officer and medical director of Group Health Cooperative of Eau Claire--emphasized that all stakeholder groups must contribute their time, resources, and efforts to make sustainable SBIRT services a reality in Wisconsin health care.

"This particular program is something that is a win-win-win-win-win across all the domains and across all the collaborators that are at the table," said Dr. Turney.

A webcast of the meeting is stored in the Department of Health Services webcast library. See http://media1.wi.gov/dhfs/catalog/ and scroll down to "WIPHL Thought Leaders Meeting."



WIPHL/SBIRT Fact Sheet

Barriers and Progress Toward SBIRT Implementation
First of two information sheets summarizing barriers and progress made on SBIRT implementation thus far. These were used as informational and talking points for small group discussions.

Barriers and Progress Toward SBIRT Implementation, part 2
Second of two information sheets summarizing barriers and progress made on SBIRT implementation thus far.

Small Group Discussion Summaries
Barriers and solutions toward SBIRT implementation, as discussed by conference attendees.

Help WIPHL Grow
Ways you can continue to help expand SBIRT services in Wisconsin.