At James Madison University, the University Health Center’s Substance Abuse Prevention coordinates BASICS - Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students. This evidence-based program is an early intervention strategy specifically designed for traditional college age students.
The BASICS program is designed to help students evaluate their risk and alcohol expectancies; it is not an abstinence based program.
It is aimed at students who drink alcohol heavily and have experienced or are at risk for experiencing alcohol-related negative consequences.
The BASICS program is a service available to JMU students who want to consider changing or reducing their substance use. This may include students who:
The BASICS program is comprised of two 50-minute interview sessions.
The first session retrieves information from the student about his/her substance use, using a self assessment instrument.
The second session is a feedback session designed to help the student assess his/her own behavior and potential risks, identify potential changes, and help reduce future problems related to substance abuse.
The program’s style is empathetic, non-confrontational, and non-judgmental, making it engaging to most college students.
Without the student’s consent, everything the student says in the sessions is confidential, unless the facilitator is required, by law, to break confidentiality to protect that student or somebody else from harm.
If you have questions about confidentiality or its limits, the facilitator will be able to answer these questions at the first session.
To discuss the appropriateness and scheduling of BASICS for an individual student, please contact Tia Mann (BASICS Prevention Specialist) at manntl@jmu.edu or 540-568-5501.
In Fall 2009, the University Health Center’s Substance Abuse Prevention started to formally evaluate the effectiveness of BASICS at JMU. The evaluation includes a pre-test, 1-month posttest, and 3-month posttest design.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has given basics a Tier 1 classification, which includes "strategies that show evidence of effectiveness with college students." Many research studies have shown motivational interviewing to be effective in reducing peak BAC, typical BAC, negative consequences related to drinking, and quantity and frequency of drinking. For a comprehensive look at these studies, please visit http://www.motivationalinterview.org/library/outcome_files/frame.htm.
Tia Mann
BASICS Prevention Specialist
manntl@jmu.edu
540-568-5501