
A substance abuse assessment is an interviewing tool that helps professionals find the right treatment to fit the individual. Some assessments are like a questionnaire while some are done orally, either way, the information provided guides the professional to the specific form of treatment necessary.
What is a substance abuse assessment?
Substance Abuse Assessment The assessment process is more in-depth. This is a way to further define and explore the results of the screening. These results can be used to diagnose and create recommendations for treatment services.
What is assessment services?
That is where Assessment Services comes in - we are court approved to provide confidential evaluations, classes, and monitoring services. Our goal is to help individuals learn from the arrest, satisfy court requirements and put it behind them. Assessment Services has been in business since 1995.
What is the purpose of an addiction assessment?
more1 The purpose of the assessment is to determine whether an addiction is present, the extent of the addiction, whether there are co-occurring conditions, and to assist in the development of a treatment plan. Professionals trained to diagnose addictions typically conduct alcohol and drug abuse assessments in private settings.
Do substance abuse screening and assessment tools work for women?
Substance abuse screening and assessment tools, in general, are not as sensitive in identifying women as having substance abuse problems. Screening for substance use disorders is conducted by an interview or by giving a short written questionnaire.

What is a needs assessment for substance abuse?
A needs assessment Determines the need for crisis counseling, mental health and/or substance misuse treatment, public education, and information dissemination. Assesses risk factors and reactions in relation to: Safety. Level of exposure to the traumatic event.
What is an assessment for treatment?
Assessment is the process of obtaining information about the patient's drug use and how it is affecting his or her life. It is an essential part of treatment and care for people who use drugs.
What are some options for assessment tools for substance use disorders?
Substance Use Disorder Evaluation Tools:CAGE.ASSIST.AUDIT.AUDIT-C.CRAFFT.MAST.DAST.Fagerstrom Test.More items...
What is the purpose of substance use assessment?
A Substance Use Evaluation, also known as a drug and alcohol evaluation, is a process that takes place between an individual and an addictions counselor. The goal of the process is to assess whether or not an individual's alcohol and/or drug use is a problem.
What happens at an assessment?
During an assessment the assessor will carry out a series of tests to explore aspects of underlying ability such as: Reading, writing and spelling. Handwriting and fine motor skills. Underlying learning skills: phonological awareness, speed of processing and memory, speech and language and auditory processing.
What is the most widely used assessment tool for addiction?
The SASSI-3 (Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory, 3rd Edition), is one of the most widely used proprietary screening tools in the United States.
What is screening and assessment?
Screening is a process for evaluating the possible presence of a particular problem. The outcome is normally a simple yes or no. • Assessment is a process for defining the nature of that problem, determining a diagnosis, and developing specific treatment recommendations for addressing the problem or diagnosis.
What are the 4 P's for substance abuse screening?
The 4P's substance abuse screening tool Parents – Have your parents had any past or present alcohol or drug issues? Partner – Has your partner had a past or present problem with alcohol or drugs? Past – Have you ever had a problem with alcohol or drugs? Pregnancy – Have you used alcohol or drugs during pregnancy?
What is Cage assessment tool?
The CAGE Assessment (also called the CAGE Questionnaire) is a preliminary test. It's a set of questions that are used to show you may have a substance abuse dependency in adults. The letters CAGE stand for Cut, Annoyed, Guilty, and Eye, based on the questions that can help tell if you have a substance abuse problem.
What are screening tools examples?
Choose evidence-based screening tools and assessment resource materialsToolSubstance typePatient ageAlcoholAdolescentsScreening to Brief Intervention (S2BI)XXBrief Screener for Alcohol, Tobacco, and other Drugs (BSTAD)XXTobacco, Alcohol, Prescription medication, and other Substance use (TAPS)X14 more rows•Mar 21, 2022
What are the four CAGE questions?
The CAGE Questionnaire Questions (CAGE & CAGE-AID) Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking? Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking? Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover (eye-opener)?
What is the Sassi assessment?
The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventories (SASSI-A3, SASSI-4 and SASSI Spanish) are self-report screening instruments designed to accurately identify adolescents and adults with high probability of having a substance use disorder (SUD).
Why do we need a substance abuse assessment?
Substance abuse assessments and evaluations are used to explore addiction, degree of addiction, and additional potential diagnosis (co-occurring disorders or conditions). Using the results of the assessment can help form the foundation for an individual’s substance abuse treatment.
What is a substance abuse screening?
Substance Abuse Screening. Substance abuse screening evaluates if a persons substance use may need further exploration for potential of an abuse disorder. There are different types of screening and the result of a screening is usually yes (positive) or no (negative). If the answer is yes (positive), it is used to indicate ...
How to evaluate a substance abuser?
The purpose of a substance abuse evaluation is to explore the following: 1 establish if the person meets criteria for a substance misuse disorder (drug or alcohol abuse or addiction) 2 find out the degree or severity of the substance misuse disorder 3 explore the possibility of a co-occurring disorder or poly-drug use 4 discover how much substance use is affecting the life of the individual
What does it mean when a substance abuse test is positive?
If the answer is yes (positive), it is used to indicate that a closer look is needed to determine if the substance use may warrant treatment. Different types of screenings for substance abuse include: Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) – a self-report that is easy to take, administer, and score.
What is the evaluative process for substance abuse?
Providers need to have an evaluative process that can be used to create individualized, evidence based treatment, and that process includes a substance abuse assessment. There are many feelings a person experiences when standing face to face with their own substance misuse, abuse or addiction. All too often, shame and embarrassment keep ...
What are the feelings of being face to face with substance abuse?
There are many feelings a person experiences when standing face to face with their own substance misuse, abuse or addiction. All too often, shame and embarrassment keep a person from reaching out for treatment. Sometimes, nervousness and fear over not knowing what to expect can make reaching out for treatment seem even more impossible. Knowing how the process starts and what to expect early on can help a person finally accept the help they need.
Why is it important to treat both mental health issues at the same time?
While it isn’t always clear if the mental health issue is a result of the substance abuse, or if the substance abuse is an attempt to self-medicate the mental health issue, it is important to treat both conditions at the same time to help increase the likelihood of long-term sobriety.
What is the purpose of an addiction assessment?
more1 The purpose of the assessment is to determine whether an addiction is present, the extent of the addiction, whether there are co-occurring conditions, and to assist in the development of a treatment plan. Professionals trained to diagnose addictions typically conduct alcohol and drug abuse assessments in private settings.
What is a drug assessment?
Professional Drug Assessments. Different types of professionals are trained to assess people for addictions, including doctors, nurses, counselors, psychologists, therapists, and social workers. Typically, multiple people will evaluate you, especially if you are being cared for at an addiction treatment program.
How to assess addiction?
The addiction assessment process is fairly straightforward. The doctor or clinician will have you fill out a standardized questionnaire asking about your current drug or alcohol use, treatment history, health history, patterns of behavior, symptoms, and the addiction effect has had on your life . Afterward, the clinician will conduct a face-to-face interview with you, asking standard, open-ended questions that provide information to make a proper diagnosis.
Why do you need a urine test?
A urine sample may be requested to test for the type of drugs you have consumed. Blood samples are usually not required but may be asked for if there is reason to believe the addiction has affected your health. For example, a blood test may be used to assess liver function in a person with an alcohol abuse problem.
What is the purpose of a professional who diagnoses addiction?
Professionals trained to diagnose addictions typically conduct alcohol and drug abuse assessments in private settings. All information that is provided by you is kept confidential and only used to assist in your treatment.
How to determine if you have an addiction to drugs?
Although it is best to obtain an official diagnosis from a qualified professional, you can perform a self-assessment test to determine whether you have an addiction to drugs or alcohol. These addiction assessment tests can be found in a number of places across the internet or from local mental health centers.
How many questions are asked in a self assessment for substance abuse?
This evaluation consists of 11 yes or no questions that are designed to be used as an informational tool to assess the severity and probability of a substance use disorder. The test is free, confidential, and no personal information is needed to receive the result. Please be aware that this evaluation is not a substitute for advice from a medical doctor.
How long does a substance use assessment take?
The assessment takes approximately one-and-a-half hours and includes taking a history of alcohol and drug use and reviewing the biological, psychological and social factors that may contribute to substance use problems.
What is a thorough assessment?
A thorough, accurate assessment is the first step in addressing substance use issues. At Fairview and HealthEast, licensed alcohol/drug counselors offer comprehensive evaluations to determine a client’s current or potential risk for substance use problems. Clients may self-refer or be recommended by family members, therapists, probation officers or other professionals.
Where is Assessment Services located?
Assessment Services is Kansas state certified and we work primarily in Johnson, Wyandotte, Douglas, Miami, and Leavenworth counties but our evaluations are accepted in municipal and district courts throughout the state. Our Professional Staff includes two full-time evaluators, a probation/diversion officer, and part-time instructors.
Who owns assessment services?
Assessment Services has been in business since 1995. The Director and owner, Barry Reed, has worked in the field since 1985. Mr. Reed has a bachelor and masters degree in psychology and is a state and nationally certified substance abuse counselor. Mr. Reed has provided assessments to thousands of individuals, helping them meet court requirements and often avoid jail time or having a conviction on their permanent record.
How to assess substance use disorder?
For many essential clinical and research purposes, however, only structured (scripted) interviews afford sufficient information and reliability. Structured instruments assist treatment planning by providing a standardized comparison of a patient’s characteristics with those of patients who have benefited from interventions in clinical trials. Clinicians also obtain a comprehensive, objective picture of the auxiliary services the patient may need to benefit maximally from treatment. In research, these instruments yield the diagnostic consistency that is indispensable to avoid misclassifying patients and compromising the interpretation of research results.
What is a structured assessment instrument?
A fully structured assessment instrument is a script. It specifies the questions the interviewer is to ask, exactly as written, as well as a choice of responses for the interviewee. When asking the questions, the interviewer skips some, based on patient characteristics or previous responses, and avoids adding probes of his or her own. A semi-structured instrument similarly lists questions to be read verbatim, but also allows the interviewer to add followup queries based on his or her clinical interpretation of the interviewee’s initial response.
Why are assessment instruments modular?
Many assessment instruments are modular, permitting flexibility in the choice of sections used and diagnoses assessed. Thus, for example, researchers or clinicians who do not encounter psychotic individuals because of program regulations or a research protocol may omit a psychosis module.
