Project Assert

Project ASSERT (Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services, Education, and Referral to Treatment) is an innovative program of the Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) Emergency Department that helps patients access drug and alcohol treatment services. First launched in 1999, Project ASSERT is the second of its kind in the nation and continues to serve as a national model for addressing substance misuse and addiction in an urban emergency department setting. Through its skilled Health Promotion Advocates (HPA's), Project ASSERT employs a unique approach to screen, provide a brief intervention and directly refer patients to specialized care. Together, our team includes Project Directors, Gail D’Onofrio, MD, MS and Caitlin Malicki, MPH, and Health Promotion Advocates Brandon Horton, Marissa Acciardo, Simone Blake, Gregory Johnson, MS, and Shevonne Mack, DARC, MSW.

• Over of 48,777 ED patients screened for drug and alcohol abuse since 1999.
• Continued cultivation of strong working relationships with clinicians, community organizations and specialized treatment centers.
• More than 30 presentations at national substance abuse conferences and a 2010 publication in the Academic Emergency Medicine Journal.
• Plans to increase Project ASSERT presence at YNHH York Street and Chapel Street Campuses, with coverage seven days a week.