Project ASSERT (Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services, Education, and Referral to Treatment) is a screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) model designed for use in health clinics or emergency departments (EDs). Project ASSERT targets three groups:
Out-of-treatment adults who are visiting a walk-in health clinic for routine medical care and have a positive screening result for cocaine and/or opiate use. Project ASSERT aims to reduce or eliminate their cocaine and/or opiate use through interaction with peer educators (substance abuse outreach workers who are in recovery themselves for cocaine and/or opiate use and/or are licensed alcohol and drug counselors).
Adolescents and young adults who are visiting a pediatric ED for acute care and have a positive screening result for marijuana use. Project ASSERT aims to reduce or eliminate their marijuana use through interaction with peer educators (adults who are under the age of 25 and, often, college educated).
Adults who are visiting an ED for acute care and have a positive screening result for high-risk and/or dependent alcohol use. Project ASSERT aims to motivate patients to reduce or eliminate their unhealthy use through collaboration with ED staff members (physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, or emergency medical technicians).