Using telehealth to help young people with alcohol and drug use

Virtual SBIRT for Pediatric Primary Care: Increasing Access to Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment for Alcohol and Other Drug Use via Telehealth

NIH-funded research Kaiser Foundation Research Institute · NIH-10911280

This study is exploring how online health services can help teenagers who are having problems with alcohol and drugs by making it easier for doctors to provide support and treatment right from their offices.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionKaiser Foundation Research Institute NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Oakland, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-10911280 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates how telehealth can be used to provide Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for adolescents struggling with alcohol and other drug (AOD) use. By implementing a centralized virtual approach, the study aims to make these essential services more accessible in pediatric primary care settings. The methodology focuses on overcoming barriers faced by healthcare providers, such as time constraints and lack of trained staff, to ensure early identification and intervention for AOD use. The goal is to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of this telehealth model in improving health outcomes for young patients.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents aged 12 to 21 who are experiencing or at risk for alcohol and other drug use.

Not a fit: Patients who are not adolescents or those who do not have access to telehealth services may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve access to early intervention services for adolescents dealing with substance use issues.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown that telehealth approaches can effectively address adolescent mental health and substance use issues, indicating a promising avenue for this study.

Where this research is happening

Oakland, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.