Dear Colleague:

The Educational Tool Kit on Beverage Alcohol Consumption with Standard Drinks: A Teaching Tool (Tool Kit) was developed to assist health care professionals in the important conversations they have with their patients concerning beverage alcohol consumption.

The following facts provide the basis for why the Tool Kit is a useful resource.

1. Your patients look to you, the health care professional, for advice about drinking and there is a large body of evidence suggesting that patients who discuss beverage alcohol consumption with their health care professional are able to make the most informed decisions concerning beverage alcohol consumption. Research, in fact, demonstrates that simply discussing your concerns about alcohol consumption can be effective in changing many patients’ drinking behavior before problems can become chronic.
2. Several major medical associations that disseminate evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for their members recommend routine use of substance use assessment and intervention. Several federal agencies, including the Institute of Medicine and the Veterans Administration, have also made substantial recommendations for screening and brief intervention.
3. There are new billing codes that reimburse health care professionals for using screening and brief intervention to identify and treat people with alcohol use disorders.
4. Surveys and focus group research demonstrate a widespread acknowledgement that there is a dearth of easy-to-use educational materials to assist health care professionals in communicating evidence-based messages on beverage alcohol consumption.

As a member of the health care community, you already realize the importance of empowering patients to make decisions that promote personal health and well-being. It is our hope that when these decisions concern beverage alcohol, you will turn to the Tool Kit as a concise and helpful resource.

To achieve this goal, the Tool Kit includes the following:

• A screening and brief intervention tool developed by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism that will help promote a productive discussion regarding decisions around beverage alcohol consumption.
• Informational tear-sheets for your office that patients can use to facilitate conversations concerning their beverage alcohol consumption and take home to have as a resource.
• Information for you, the health care professional, on the science of beverage alcohol and beverage alcohol consumption.
• Evidence-based and effective intervention strategies for health care professionals to employ with patients who have an alcohol use disorder or who may be at risk for developing one.
• An extensive list of resources for you to use to further your education, the education of your patients, or to make an effective referral.

We hope that you find this Tool Kit an easy to use and helpful resource when assisting your patients and clients in making healthy decisions concerning alcohol consumption.

Sincerely,

Howard Forman President, Doctors for Designated Driving Former Co-Chair AMA Action on Alcohol and Health	Mark S. Gold, MD Donald Dizney Eminent Scholar & Distinguished Professor University of Florida’s McKnight Brain Institute Departments of Psychiatry Neuroscience, Anesthesiology, Community Health & Family Medicine Chair, Department of Psychiatry University of Florida College of Medicine
Mary Jo Goolsby, EdD, MSN, ANP-C, FAANP Director of Research & Education American Academy of Nurse Practitioners	Monica Gourovitch, PhD Senior Vice-President Office of Scientific Affairs Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
Gerald Keller, MD, FAAFP Family Physician Ochsner Clinic Foundation Past-President American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation	Sylvia A. Moore, PhD, RD, FADA College of Health Sciences University of Wyoming Past Chair, Nutrition Educators for Health Professionals Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association
Winston Price, MD, FACPE Medical Director and Chief of Division of Managed Care & Quality Georgia Department of Community Health	Raymond Scalettar, MD, DSc, FACP, MACR Former Chair, American Medical Association Medical Advisor to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
Roger Shewmake, PhD, LN Professor and Director, Section of Nutrition South Dakota School of Medicine Department of Family Medicine Past Chair Nutrition Educators for Health Professionals Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association	Omega Silva, MD, MACP Past-President American Medical Women’s Association
Greg Thomas, PA, MPH Vice-President, Professional Education & Alliance Development American Academy of Physician Assistants	Jane White, PhD, RD, LDN Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Medicine University of Tennessee

 

A. Introduction

Purpose: This Tool Kit is designed to provide health care professionals with scientific and educational materials to facilitate communicating information about beverage alcohol consumption, as discussed in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2010 (1)), with their patients (a copy of the Dietary Guidelines is included in Sections II and IV).

Research findings suggest that adult patients who frankly discuss alcohol consumption with their health care professionals are able to make the most informed decisions about how to either include beverage alcohol as part of a healthy diet or abstain. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has emphasized the critical role that health care professionals play in communicating about responsible beverage alcohol consumption or abstention. For example, “Your patients look to you for advice about the risks and benefits associated with drinking. Research, in fact, demonstrates that simply discussing your concerns about alcohol use can be effective in changing many patients’ drinking behavior before problems can become chronic” (2).

Furthermore, a review of the literature on brief interventions concluded that patients reporting drinking alcohol at risky levels who received a brief counseling session from their physicians were likely to moderate their drinking or abstain (3). A discussion on drinking will help health care professionals recognize potential problems early and help them determine whether a patient is consuming moderately and responsibly; or at risk for experiencing adverse consequences, but at a point when brief office counseling can be effective; or identify serious dependency problems that require more intensive treatment and intervention.

 

B. Tool Kit overview

The Tool Kit is divided into six sections.

Section I – Introduction and Overview – provides an overview and guidelines on how to use this Tool Kit.

Section II – The Essentials: Tools and Handouts for Patient Education – includes educational materials that can be used for each patient.

• An alcohol screening and brief intervention tool from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
• A three dimensional model, Standard Drinks: A Teaching Tool, that can provide an easy starting point and centerpiece for the entire discussion on beverage alcohol consumption. It contains illustrated information and graphics on standard drinks, the alcohol guideline from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2010), and calories. There are also many excerpts from government documents, third party organizations, and published scientific articles about alcohol, standard drinks, equivalency, and health effects.
• There are several published handouts that can be distributed to patients. The health care professional may choose the most appropriate handout depending on the patient. These handouts may also be reproduced for educational purposes or re-ordered by contacting [email protected].

Section III – Starting the Dialogue – provides more detailed information on discussing alcohol consumption with the patient. This section is designed to assist the health care professional in assessing the patient’s knowledge of beverage alcohol consumption, identifying their pattern of consumption and in helping determine which materials in this Tool Kit are appropriate for a discussion. Depending on the patient, the health care professional may decide to use only one or several sections. This section also includes the CAGE and AUDIT screening tools, as well as information on brief intervention, treatment referral and medications.

Section IV – Moderate Beverage Alcohol Consumption in the Adult Diet – provides a more detailed discussion of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2010) guideline on beverage alcohol, standard drinks and health effects of moderate beverage alcohol consumption.

Section V – Resources for Other Populations – provides the following:

• Information on a resource to assist health care professionals in working with families regarding underage drinking entitled, A Family Tool Kit: Developing partnerships with health professionals and families to prevent and reduce underage drinking and alcohol abuse.
• Screening tools for alcohol use among older adults from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
• A Tool Kit on drinking and reproductive health from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Section VI – Appendix – includes:

• Partnering with MyPyramid: Corporate Challenge Program (US Department of Agriculture)
• Contact information for the Advisory Committee
• Contact information for participating and reviewing organizations
• Information on participating and reviewing organizations
• Tools for professional education

Each Section begins with a text summary. The summary is intended to provide a basic overview and facts about alcohol that the health care professional might find useful in patient discussions. Sections II, III, IV, and V of the Tool Kit contain Tools for professional and patient education folders that include published materials that may be used for patient education and teaching and professional presentations. You may contact [email protected] for copies of any papers referenced in the Tool Kit or for additional materials from any section.

TOOLS YOU CAN USE

There are several materials in Section II of the Tool Kit that can be used for each patient meeting. First, there is a tear pad of the NIAAA screening and brief intervention tool. Second, there are several handouts, which are published materials that can be distributed to patients; the health care professional may choose the most appropriate handout depending on the patient. These handouts may be reproduced for educational purposes or re-ordered by contacting [email protected].

Many sections of the Tool Kit also include Tools for professional education. These are published materials that may be used for education, presentations or writing articles. There are also additional resources and contact information for other organizations for more information on a particular topic.

Below is a detailed list of the resources included in the folders at the end of various sections of the Tool Kit.

SECTION II –The Essentials: Tools and Handouts for Patient Education

A. Alcohol screening and brief intervention tool
• A Pocket Guide for Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention
  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (Reprinted May 2007, Updated 2005 Edition). A pocket guide for alcohol screening and brief intervention. Rockville, MD: NIAAA Publications Distribution Center.
B. Tools for patient education
• Standard Drinks: A Teaching Tool
  American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American Academy of Physician Assistants, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American Academy of Physician Assistants, American Medical Women’s Association, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, National Medical Association, Nutrition Educators of Health Professionals a Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association, Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, United States Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion: MyPyramid Corporate Challenge Partnership. 2008. Standard Drinks: A Teaching Tool.
C. Patient handouts
• Alcoholic beverages – Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010
  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2010). Alcoholic beverages. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, December 2010.
• Adult beverage consumption: Making responsible drinking choices
  The American Dietetic Association. (2008). Nutrition fact sheet: Adult beverage consumption: making responsible drinking choices. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 108(9).
• Benefits and dangers of alcohol
  Hwang, M. Y., Glass, R. M., Molter, J. (1999). Benefits and dangers of alcohol. Journal of the American Medical Association, 281(1): 104.
• Alcohol: How it all adds up
  National Consumers League. (2009). Alcohol: How it all adds up [Fact sheet].
• Drinking and your pregnancy
  National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health and National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. (1996, Revised October 2001, Updated September 2004). Drinking and your pregnancy (NIH Publication No. 96-4101) [Brochure].
• As You Age…A Guide to Aging, Medicines, and Alcohol
  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Food and Drug Administration. (Reprinted 2005). As you age… A guide to aging, medicines, and alcohol (SMA# 05-3995, NCADI# PHD 1082) [Brochure]
• Harmful interactions: Mixing alcohol with Medicines
  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (Reprinted August 2005). Harmful interactions: Mixing alcohol with medicines (NIH Publication No. 03-5329) [Brochure].

TOOLS FOR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Please note that descriptions for the resources and organizations throughout the Tool Kit are generally taken directly from the organization websites.

SECTION III –Starting the Dialogue

• Helping Patients Who Drink Too Much: A Clinician’s Guide

  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (Reprinted May 2007, Updated 2005 Edition). Helping patients who drink too much: A clinician’s guide (NIH Publication No. 07-3769).

• Alcohol Alert — Screening for Alcohol Use and Alcohol-Related Problems
  

  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2005, April). Alcohol Alert – Screening for alcohol use and alcohol-related problems (NIAAA Publication No. 65).

• Alcohol Alert — Brief Interventions
  

  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2005, July). Alcohol Alert – Brief Interventions (NIAAA Publication No. 66).

• Alcohol Education Center (AEC) (webapps.health.ufl.edu/aec/)

  An online continuing medical education course has been developed by Dr. Mark Gold for physicians, nurses and other health care providers. Topics covered include alcohol metabolism, blood alcohol levels, tolerance, standard drink information, alcohol abuse and dependence, treatment and relapse, contraindications, potential benefits of moderate beverage alcohol consumption, fetal alcohol syndrome, screening and brief intervention, genetic factors, risk factors, protective factors, age and gender issues, among others.

  The AEC offers a curriculum of free courses and is a great resource for health care professionals who would like to learn more about alcohol consumption and alcohol abuse. (For more information, please see the handout in the folder at the end of the Section III).

  Dr. Mark Gold is Donald Dizney Eminent Scholar & Distinguished Professor at the University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Departments of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, Community Health and Family Medicine; Chair, Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida College of Medicine.

• Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems (www.ensuringsolutions.org)

  Ensuring Solutions is a project of the Center for Integrated Behavioral Health Policy, part of the Department of Health Policy at the School of Public Health and Health Services, The George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, DC.

  Over the past five years, Ensuring Solutions has:
  • Helped businesses nationwide to demand better alcohol-related services from their health plans. Health plans following these new standards increased the identification of patients with alcohol problems by more than 15 percent in one year, ensuring treatment for tens of thousands of additional patients.
  • Convinced the American Medical Association and the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services to create new billing codes that encourage primary care physicians to identify and treat people with substance use disorders.
  • Developed new research-based standards for the identification and treatment of substance use disorders. These standards were endorsed by the National Quality Forum in 2007.
  • Created an online technical assistance program to help repeal insurance laws that discourage emergency room doctors from identifying patients with alcohol-related problems. Since 2002, this resource has helped to repeal laws in nine states and the District of Columbia.
  Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Resource
  (www.sbirt.samhsa.gov/index.htm)
  • The purpose of the SBIRT Web site is to provide a single, comprehensive repository of SBIRT information. This information includes training manuals, online resources, links to organizations and publications, and a list of references.
  • The site includes links to various SBIRT-related curricula, online resources, organizations, and publications as well as detailed information on Coding for Screening and Brief Intervention reimbursement.

Section IV –Moderate Beverage Alcohol Consumption in the Adult Diet

• Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010
  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2010). Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, December 2010 http://www.drinkinmoderation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/2010-alcohol-DG-tear-pad-Sep-24-2012.pdf.
• State of the Science Report on the Effects of Moderate Drinking
  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2003). State of the science report on the effects of moderate drinking.
• Alcohol and Breast Cancer
  Singletary, K. W., Gapstur, S. M. (2001). Alcohol and breast cancer: Review of epidemiological and experimental evidence and potential mechanisms. Journal of the American Medical Association, 286(17), 2143-2151.
• Standard Drinks
  Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (2007). Standard drinks. [photograph]

Section V – Resources for Other Populations

• Family Tool Kit for Preventing and Reducing Underage Drinking
  

  A resource developed for health care professionals to work with families to combat underage drinking: Family Tool Kit: Developing partnerships with health professionals and families to prevent and reduce underage drinking and alcohol abuse has been developed to provide health care professionals with evidence-based materials to facilitate productive discussions with both parents and their children about preventing and reducing underage drinking and alcohol abuse.

It is a compendium of resources that includes developmentally appropriate talking points for parents, patient handouts, screening and intervention tools, treatment referral guides and information on how to obtain other useful material. To obtain a copy of the Family Tool Kit, please contact [email protected].

• Alcohol Use Among Older Adults: Pocket Screening Instruments for Health Care and Social Service Providers
  

  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (2001). Alcohol use among older adults: Pocket screening instruments for health care and social service providers (DHHS Publication No. [SMA] 02-3621).

• Drinking and Reproductive Health: A Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Prevention Tool Kit
  

  American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, U.S. Department of Health and Human Service and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2006). Drinking and reproductive health: A fetal alcohol spectrum disorders prevention tool kit.

Section VI – Appendix

The Alcohol Clinical Training (ACT) (www.bu.edu/act/)

This project was established by the Boston Medical Center and Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health to disseminate the latest research on alcohol consumption and teach pragmatic clinical skills to screen and conduct brief intervention for alcohol problems. The project's two distinct components, which both integrate data on health disparities, include:

• Alcohol screening and brief intervention curriculum

  A free online curriculum for generalist clinicians, educators, and trainees that teaches skills for addressing alcohol problems in primary care settings (including screening and brief intervention), emphasizing cross-cultural efficacy.

• Alcohol and health: Current evidence

  A free online newsletter that summarizes the latest clinically relevant research on alcohol and health.

SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES

• American Academy of Family Physicians Four Screening Steps (www.aafp.org)
  The American Academy of Family Physicians has developed a four-step screening and brief intervention tool for the primary care setting. This tool can be accessed at http://www.aafp.org/x36800.xml.
• American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) (www.aanp.org)
  Formed in 1985, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is the largest and only full-service member driven national professional organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. With approximately 22,500 individual members and over 127 group members, AANP represents the interests of over 120,000 NPs. AANP has steadily expanded its services and priorities to meet its mission to serve as a resource for NPs, their patients and other health care consumers; to promote excellence in practice, education and research; to advance health policy and establish health care standards; and to advocate for access to quality and cost effective health care by NPs. AANP is a leader in a wide range of coalitions, alliances and partnerships – working with groups within nursing as well as other disciplines and industry. The AANP Network for Research (AANPNR) is a developing practice-based national network of AANP members for collaboration on research topics to further enhance NP practice.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) (www.aap.org)
  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its member pediatricians dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. The Web site contains general information related to child health as well as more specific guidelines concerning a variety of pediatric issues. Additionally there are resources and descriptions regarding AAP programs, activities, policy statements, practice guidelines and publications.
• American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) (www.aapa.org)
  

  AAPA Mission:
  The mission of the American Academy of Physician Assistants is to promote quality, cost-effective, accessible health care, and to promote the professional and personal development of physician assistants.

  AAPA Vision:
  Physician assistants will be worldwide leaders vital to providing and improving the medical care of all people.

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) (www.acog.org)
  

  ACOG was founded in 1951 in Chicago, Illinois. ACOG today has over 49,000 members and is the nation's leading group of professionals providing health care for women. Now based in Washington, DC, it is a private, voluntary, nonprofit membership organization.

  ACOG works primarily in four areas:

  • Serving as a strong advocate for quality health care for women.
  • Maintaining the highest standards of clinical practice and continuing education for its members.
  • Promoting patient education and stimulating patient understanding of and involvement in medical care.
  • Increasing awareness among its members and the public of the changing issues facing women's health care.

• American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) (www.amwa-doc.org)
  

  The American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) is an organization of women physicians, medical students and other persons dedicated to serving as the unique voice for women's health and the advancement of women in medicine. The organization was founded by Dr. Bertha VanHoosen in 1915 in Chicago, at a time when women physicians were an under-represented minority. As women in medicine increase in numbers, new problems and issues arise that were not anticipated. AMWA has been addressing these issues for 93 years.

  AMWA vision:
  The American Medical Women’s Association empowers women to lead in improving health for all within a model that reflects the unique perspective of women.

  AMWA mission:
  The American Medical Women’s Association is an organization which functions at the local, national, and international level to advance women in medicine and improve women’s health. We achieve this by providing and developing leadership, advocacy, education, expertise, mentoring, and strategic alliances.

  Since 2005, AMWA offers the education program “Alcohol Awareness Initiative” which can be accessed at https://www.amwa-doc.org/index.cfm?objectId=1D1C497E-D567-0B25-56D1F2474E3AFD46, and online CME course “Alcohol 101” to its members at https://www.amwa-doc.org/index.cfm?objectid=5262F435-D567-0B25-595CAA113B1CD6BC.

• American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) (http://www.asam.org)
  ASAM mission:

  The distillers’ efforts to combat alcohol abuse and encourage responsibility have spanned decades. For example, support of continuing education credits for physicians and other health care professionals for programs on alcohol abuse and responsible consumption, outreach through partnerships with health care professionals on programs to prevent and reduce alcohol abuse, and public/private partnerships to disseminate the alcohol guideline from the Dietary Guidelines. The distillers are proud of their longstanding commitment to social responsibility and will continue to lead the way in this important effort.

  • Increase access to and improve the quality of addiction treatment;
  • To educate physicians (including medical and osteopathic students), other health care providers and the public;
  • To support research and prevention;
  • To promote the appropriate role of the physician in the care of patients with addiction;
  • And to establish addiction medicine as a primary specialty recognized by professional organizations, governments, physicians, purchasers and consumers of health care services, and the general public.
• Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (www.distilledspirits.org)
  Government Links: https://www.distilledspirits.org/responsibility/links.asp
  Industry Responsibility Links: www.discus.org/responsibility
  
  

  The Distilled Spirits Council is the national trade association representing America’s leading distillers and nearly 80% of all distilled spirits brands sold in this country. Over the years, the Council has served as the distillers’ voice on policy and legislative issues in our nation’s capital, state capitals and foreign capitals worldwide. Our strong commitment to responsibility is the foundation of everything we do as an organization and as an industry.

  The distillers’ efforts to combat alcohol abuse and encourage responsibility have spanned decades. For example, support of continuing education credits for physicians and other health care professionals for programs on alcohol abuse and responsible consumption, outreach through partnerships with health care professionals on programs to prevent and reduce alcohol abuse, and public/private partnerships to disseminate the alcohol guideline from the Dietary Guidelines. The distillers are proud of their longstanding commitment to social responsibility and will continue to lead the way in this important effort.

• Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) (www.madd.org)
  

  MADD is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit grassroots organization with more than 400 offices throughout the United States.

  Mission statement:
  MADD believes it’s possible for our nation to eliminate the tragedy of drunk driving and prevent underage drinking. And we are committed to serving drunk driving victims/survivors.

• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) (www.niaaa.nih.gov)
  The mission of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is to provide leadership in the national effort to reduce alcohol-related problems by:
  • Conducting and supporting research in a wide range of scientific areas including genetics, neuroscience, epidemiology, health risks and benefits of alcohol consumption, prevention, and treatment;
  • Coordinating and collaborating with other research institutes and Federal Programs on alcohol-related issues;
  • Collaborating with international, national, state, and local institutions, organizations, agencies, and programs engaged in alcohol-related work; and
  • Translating and disseminating research findings to health care providers, researchers, policymakers, and the public.
  The Institute’s efforts to fulfill its mission are guided by the NIAAA vision to support and promote, through research and education, the best science on alcohol and health for the benefit of all by:
  • Increasing the understanding of normal and abnormal biological functions and behavior relating to alcohol use;
  • Improving the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of alcohol use disorders; and
  • Enhancing quality health care.
  NIAAA Clinician’s Guide: Helping patients who drink too much
  

  The NIAAA‘s updated 2005 Clinician’s guide has been developed for primary care and mental health clinicians. The screening tool in the Clinician’s Guide consists of a single question about heavy drinking days, and additional screening tools such as AUDIT and CAGE are provided in the appendix. The new assessment strategy includes questions for differentiating among patients with at-risk drinking, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. A list of approved medications for treating alcohol dependence and prescribing information is provided in the Clinician’s Guide and the pocket guide. The Clinician’s Guide includes information on screening, brief intervention and treatment referral. A copy of the NIAAA Clinician’s Guide is included in the sleeve at the end of this section. The Clinician’s Guide and the pocket guide can be accessed at http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/Practitioner/CliniciansGuide2005/guide.pdf pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/Practitioner/PocketGuide/pocket.pdf
  NIAAA has also developed a PowerPointTM Slideshow (80 slides) on the Clinician’s Guide for instructors to present the content of the Guide to students and professionals in general medicine and mental health fields. It takes viewers step-by-step through the Guide's process for alcohol screening and brief intervention and showcases the helpful materials in the appendix. The presentation can be accessed at pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/practitioner/CliniciansGuide2005/UsingNIAAACliniciansG
  uide.ppt

• National Medical Association (NMA) (www.nmanet.org)
  

  The National Medical Association (NMA) is the collective voice of African American physicians and the leading force for parity and justice in medicine and the elimination of disparities in health.

  The National Medical Association (NMA) is the largest and oldest national organization representing African American physicians and their patients in the United States. The NMA is a 501(c) (3) national professional and scientific organization representing the interests of more than 25,000 African American physicians and the patients they serve. NMA is committed to improving the quality of health among minorities and disadvantaged people through its membership, professional development, community health education, advocacy, research and partnerships with federal and private agencies. Throughout its history the National Medical Association has focused primarily on health issues related to African Americans and medically underserved populations; however, its principles, goals, initiatives and philosophy encompass all ethnic groups.

• Nutrition Educators of Health Professionals a Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association (NEHP/ADA)
  www.nehpdpg.org
  www.eatright.org
  

  The American Dietetic Association is the nation's largest organization (more than 67,000 members) of food and nutrition professionals. ADA serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being. ADA members are the nation's food and nutrition experts, translating the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living.

  Nutrition Educators of Health Professionals (NEHP) is a dynamic network of professionals providing nutrition education for medical, dental, nursing, and other allied health students, residents and practitioners. According to Roger Shewmake, PhD, LN, past-chair, the group offers an environment for interaction with other educators, opportunities for professional growth and a forum for developing curricula for undergraduate, graduate, and continuing nutrition education. Members enjoy networking opportunities year-round through the NEHP electronic mailing list which also ensures members have up-to-date information from the practice group. Members also have an annual education/networking opportunity at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo.

• Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) (www.stfm.org)

  The Society was founded in 1967 to respond to the needs of family medicine educators. STFM is dedicated to improving the health of all people through education, research, patient care, and advocacy.

  Strategic goals of STFM are:

  • Faculty Development: To provide premier academic development of faculty appropriate to their level of experience and individual roles.
  • Celebrate Diversity, Eliminate Disparity: To advocate for social justice to improve health care for all people.
  • Quality Improvement: To improve the quality of care provided by family physicians through education and research.
  • Role of the Family Physician: To lead the process to define the most effective roles and responsibilities of family physicians in the evolving health care system.
  • Information Technology: To explore, incorporate, and teach advances in information technology appropriate for family medicine.

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (www.samhsa.gov)
  

  SAMHSA’s vision as an agency of the Federal Government is "A Life in the Community for Everyone." This vision is based on the premise that people of all ages, with or at risk for mental or substance use disorders, should have the opportunity for a fulfilling life that includes a job/education, a home, and meaningful personal relationships with friends and family. SAMHSA works to achieve this vision through an action-oriented, measurable mission of "Building Resilience and Facilitating Recovery."

  Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Resource (www.sbirt.samhsa.gov/index.htm)
  

  The purpose of the SBIRT Web site is to provide a single, comprehensive repository of SBIRT information. This information includes training manuals, online resources, links to organizations and publications, and a list of references.

  The site includes links to various SBIRT-related curricula, online resources, organizations, and publications as well as detailed information on Coding for Screening and Brief Intervention reimbursement.

  SAMHSA: Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator
  www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov

  SAMHSA provides an online resource for locating alcohol abuse treatment programs. The Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator lists:

  • Private and public facilities that are licensed, certified, or otherwise approved for inclusion by their State substance abuse agency
  • Treatment facilities administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Indian Health Service and the Department of Defense.

  The Locator includes more than 11,000 alcohol treatment programs, including residential treatment centers, outpatient treatment programs, and hospital inpatient programs.

  SAMHSA endeavors to keep the Locator current. All information in the Locator is completely updated each year, based on facility responses to SAMHSA's National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services. The most recent complete update occurred on March 17, 2008 based on data collected as of March 31, 2007 in the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services. New facilities are added monthly. Updates to facility names, addresses, telephone numbers and services are made weekly, if facilities inform SAMHSA of changes. For additional advice, you may call the Referral Helpline operated by SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment:

  • 1-800-662-HELP (English & Español)
  • 1-800-487-4889 (TDD)

  SAMHSA: National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) ncadi.samhsa.gov/about/aboutncadi.aspx
  NCADI’s mission:
  SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) is the Nation's one-stop resource for information about substance abuse prevention and addiction treatment.

  NCADI services include:
  • An information services staff (English, Spanish, TDD capability) equipped to respond to the public's alcohol, tobacco, and drug (ATD) inquiries;
  • The distribution of free or low-cost ATD materials, including fact sheets, brochures, pamphlets, monographs, posters, and video tapes from an inventory of over 1,000 items;
  • A repertoire of culturally-diverse prevention, intervention, and treatment resources tailored for use by parents, teachers, youth, communities and prevention/treatment professionals;
  • Customized searches in the form of annotated bibliographies from alcohol and drug data bases;
  • Access to the Prevention Materials Database (PMD) including over 8,000 prevention-related materials and the Treatment Resources Database, available to the public in electronic form;
  • Rapid dissemination of Federal grant announcements for ATD prevention, treatment, and research funding opportunities

  About the Clearinghouse
  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) is the Nation's one-stop resource for the most current and comprehensive information about substance abuse prevention and treatment.

  NCADI is one of the largest Federal clearinghouses, offering more than 500 items to the public, many of which are free of charge. NCADI distributes the latest studies and surveys, guides, videocassettes, and other types of information and materials on substance abuse from various agencies, such as the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

  NCADI staffs both English- and Spanish-speaking information specialists who are skilled at recommending appropriate publications, posters, and videocassettes; conducting customized searches; providing grant and funding information; and referring people to appropriate organizations. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to take your calls at 1-800-729-6686.

• The Century Council (www.centurycouncil.org)

  The Century Council is a leader in the fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking and promotes responsible decision making regarding beverage alcohol.

  Founded in 1991 and funded by distillers, we are a national, independent, not-for-profit organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, chaired by the Honorable Susan Molinari. An independent National Advisory Board comprised of distinguished leaders in education, medicine, government, business, and other relevant disciplines assists us in the development of programs and policies to fight drunk driving and stop underage drinking.

 

C. References

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2010). Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office (the alcohol guideline is included as tear pad in Section II and a copy of the complete guideline is included in Section IV).
2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (Updated March 2000, Printed 1995). The physicians’ guide to helping patients with alcohol problems (NIH Publication No. 95-3769).
3. Moyer, A., Finney, J. W., Swearingen, C. E., Vergun, P. (2002). Brief interventions for alcohol problems: A meta-analytic review of controlled investigations in treatment-seeking and non-treatment-seeking populations. Addiction, 97(3), 279-292.