This advanced session provides a comprehensive exploration of the SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) model as applied to impaired drivers—a population characterized not only by high-risk substance use but also by meaningful rates of co-occurring mental health disorders, trauma histories, and impaired decision-making patterns. Participants will examine how SBIRT can be deployed across critical sequential intercepts. The session expands traditional SBIRT practice by recognizing that many impaired drivers experience co-occurring mental health disorders that intersect with substance-related driving behavior. The session will examine advanced brief intervention strategies tailored to individuals whose impaired-driving behavior may be influenced by emotional dysregulation, impaired coping skills, trauma responses, or cognitive distortions about risk. Emphasis will be placed on motivational interviewing methods that address both substance use and mental health symptoms, while also challenging high-risk driving patterns and enhancing readiness for change. The session will also address specialized referral-to-treatment pathways, including coordination with behavioral health providers, the judiciary, impaired driving treatment courts, probation, and law enforcement. Participants will discuss confidentiality considerations, engagement barriers, and collaborative approaches that balance clinical ethics with public-safety requirements.
