Assessment Tools Resource Guide
This guide is meant as a supplement to the Assessment Tools webinar which can be accessed
through our eLearning site. The list of assessments is not exhaustive and we have included a
few databases with more exhaustive lists for you to examine and explore at your pace and time.
Those highlighted are ones that have been commonly referenced and/or implemented by
grantees serving youth who identify as runaway or homeless. You will also find some
screens/assessments for specific populations or topics. It is up to you how to implement them –
some agencies will use sections and put them in their agency developed assessment form or
will use the entire assessment/screen with the youth.
Contents:
1. General Information
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2. Life Skills/Self sufficiency Assessments
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3. Wellness and Health Assessments
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4. Behavioral and Mental Health Assessments
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5. Substance Abuse Assessments
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Section 1: General Information:
A Brief difference between Screenings and Assessments:
Screenings:
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Assessments:
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A first step in service delivery
Brief, focused
Can be administered by front-line staff (w/ training)
Can identify if a higher level or care is needed
COULD be done only once
A more in-depth exploration
Usually done by clinical/MH staff
More directly related to treatment planning
May be given several times to determine change
For a more information on screenings versus assessments, visit the following:
Screening and Assessment for Trauma in Child Welfare Settings Speaker Series - See more at:
http://learn.nctsn.org/course/view.php?id=72#sthash.oc5ulaKX.dpuf
*Note* you may need to create a login; however, it is free.
Here is a link to TA Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health that also discusses
screenings and assessments:
http://www.tapartnership.org/content/mentalHealth/faq/01screening.php
Chapter 4: Screening and Assessments: Substance Abuse Treatment: Addressing
the Specific Needs of Women (also to be linked in the substance abuse section)
This chapter introduces and provides an overview of current screening and assessment
processes that may best serve women across the continuum of care. It covers several areas for
which to screen, such as acute safety risk, mental disorders, sexual victimization, trauma, and
eating disorders. The chapter also discusses factors that may influence the overall assessment,
and reviews screening for substance abuse and dependence in settings other than substance
abuse treatment facilities.
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It provides information about instruments for use by drug and alcohol counselors, primary
healthcare providers, social workers, and others. The assessment section includes general
principles for assessing women, the scope and structure of assessment interviews, and selected
instruments. Finally, other considerations that apply to screening and assessment are
discussed, including women’s strengths, coping styles, and spirituality.
Link to access:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK83253/
What assessments RHY programs are utilizing:
Casey Life Skills (CLSA)
Child & Adolescent Needs & Strengths (CANS)
Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT)
Adolescent Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI – A2)
Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument (MAYSI)
Developmental Assets Inventory
Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ)
Global Appraisal of Functioning (GAIN- SS)
Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC – 17)
Trauma Symptom Checklist (TSCC)
Youth Assessment & Screening Tool (YASI)
The Child & Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS)
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC – II)
The Adolescent Resiliency Attitudes Scale (ARAS)
Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)
Online Databases for Screening and Assessment Tools:
Alcohol and Drug Institute Library
This resource is intended to help clinicians and researchers find instruments used for screening
and assessment of substance use and substance use disorders. Some instruments are in the
public domain and can be freely downloaded from the web; others can only be obtained from
the copyright holder. We don't provide copies of instruments, but links to contact and
availability information are included if known
Link to access database: http://lib.adai.washington.edu/instruments/
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FRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention
Annotated Measurement Tools listed
FRIENDS, in collaboration with our partners, have created annotations of many popular tools
used to measure outcomes in prevention programs. The use of measurement tools is a
component of the design of any evaluation program. There are over 70 tools available in the
Compendium. They are arranged in 2 different ways, either in a simple alphabetic format or by
protective factor. The protective factor listing allows programs to choose tools based on the
areas they believe their program impacts. This breakdown allows programs to look at tools that
may fit their needs in a more simplified manner.
Link to access tools by Protective Factor:
http://friendsnrc.org/evaluation-toolkit/compendium-of-annotated-tools/tools-by-protectivefactor
Link to access tools Alphabetically:
http://friendsnrc.org/evaluation-toolkit/compendium-of-annotated-tools/tools-byalphabetical-listing
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Measures Review Database:
The NCTSN Measures Review database is a searchable database containing reviews of measures
important for the field of Child Traumatic Stress. All reviews were conducted using a uniform
review template to allow comparison across measures. Our goal was to provide easy access to
comprehensive clinical and research information so that a given user can determine whether a
measure is appropriate for a specific individual or group, given factors such as the purpose of
the assessment, age, cultural and linguistic group, and trauma type. You enter search terms,
and the database identifies those measures that meet your search criteria. In some cases
authors have given permission for the full measure, including alternate language versions, to be
posted. A Glossary of Terms is available to help you understand psychometric terms that
appear in the reviews. Consult our database of reviews of tools that measure children's
experiences of trauma, their reactions to it, and other mental health and trauma-related issues.
Link to access database: http://www.nctsn.org/resources/online-research/measures-review
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Section 2: Life Skill/Self Sufficiency Assessments:
In this section, the focus will be on two common life skill assessments in the youth services
field: Casey Life Skill and Daniel Memorial.
Casey Life Skill Assessment:
Applicable RHY programs: BCP, TLP/MGH
Case Family Programs main website: http://www.casey.org/
A little about Case Family Programs
Casey Family Programs is the nation’s largest operating foundation focused entirely on foster care and
improving the child welfare system. Founded in 1966, we work to provide and improve ─ and ultimately
prevent the need for ─ foster care in the United States. As champions for change, we are committed to
our 2020 Strategy for America’s Children – a goal to safely reduce the number of children in foster care
and improve the lives of those who remain in care. Since our founding in 1966, we have invested more
than $1.6 billion in programs and services to benefit children and families in the child welfare system.
Over the next decade, we will invest at least $1 billion more to fulfill the promise of our 2020 Strategy.
We have decades of front-line experience in foster care and are committed to helping states, counties
and tribes implement effective child welfare practices. We provide nonpartisan research and technical
expertise to child welfare system leaders, members of Congress and state legislators so they may craft
laws and policies to better the lives of children in foster care, children at risk of entering the system and
their families. The foundation, established by United Parcel Service founder Jim Casey, is based in
Seattle.
Assessment main website: http://lifeskills.casey.org/
*in order to access assessments, you will need to create a free account as a service provider. It is
a fairly easy process*
Casey Life Skills Help Guide: http://www.casey.org/cls/resourceguides/CLSHowToGuide.pdf
Preview document: http://www.casey.org/cls/assessments/LifeSkills.pdf
To learn more about the assessment: http://lifeskills.casey.org/clsa_learn_provider
Link to access video tutorials: http://lifeskills.casey.org/clsa_help_videoTutorials
Daniel Memorial Institute:
Applicable RHY programs: TLP/MGH, BCP
Information packet: http://www.hayskids.org/documents/ILS%20assessment.pdf
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Brief description:
The next best test is an examiner quizzing a youth on a skill to determine if they know it. The
quiz should include some real life situation where the youth says what he/she would do and the
examiner makes a judgment about whether the youth knows the skill. Daniel Memorial (DM)
strongly recommends that when the examiner is in doubt, they not pass the youth on the skill.
For each skill a youth does not pass, a plan is printed out with instructions for how to get the
youth up at par on that skill. DM Institute has developed two different types of assessments.
1. The “interview” assessment which has a long and a short version. The long form has 231
items in 16 categories each category divided into minimal intermediate, advanced and
exceptional. The short form has 90 questions in 14 categories (leisure and religion were
omitted) with no further subdivision (in general, most minimal and exceptional skill
were omitted). The difference between the two forms is brevity vs. comprehensiveness.
The short form will take an experience examiner 30 minutes to give the long form will
take 1 ½ hours.
2. The second type of assessment is the “objective” assessment. This form was developed
after numerous customer and professional recommendations. It is a multiple-choice test
with four possible answers and about 10 true/false statements. The test can be given to
several youth at one time or to one youth over several sessions and does not require an
experience examiner to give. This test also has both a long and short form (231
questions and 90 questions).
Daniel Memorial main website: http://www.danielkids.org/
How to access the product:
https://danielkids.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=360&nccsm=15&__nccscid=16&__nccsct=Assessments
Other type of self-sufficiency assessments resources:
ARISE Life Skills website: http://at-riskyouth.org/
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Section 3: Wellness and Health Assessments
It is important to note that most agencies utilize an in-house checklist asking the health
questions needed in order to move forward and is included in the program’s intake process;
however, do not be afraid to think outside the box in this realm. It is important to consider
what information you seek to obtain and the purpose (how will the information be used).
Casey Life Skills Subscales (CLS) (Pregnant/Parenting, LGBTQ and Homelessness)
Applicable RHY programs: TLP/MGH, BCP, and adaptable for SOP
After creating an account, these subscales can be accessed via the drop-down box on the left
side of the screen. They can be printed out for you to go through with the youth or can be done
on a computer.
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CLS: Pregnant and Parenting Assessments
Covers three areas separately, each with varying amounts of questions:
Healthy Pregnancy
Parenting of Infants
Parenting Young Children
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CLS: LGBTQ
This assessment has 81 items and covers GLBTQ terminology, self-concept, community
resources and supports, health, environment and safety, and family and community
values. The GLBTQ Assessment is to be used only with youth who have self-identified as
LGBTQ and/or expressed an interest in this area.
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CLS: Homeless Youth Assessment
This 48 item assessment addresses issues of care for youth living on the streets. It
covers insuring they understand the resources available to them, ways to be safe, how
to avoid victimization, and how to secure safe and sustainable housing. As well as
knowledge and behavior in the skill areas of daily life, family and friends, health,
housing, jobs, legal, safety and survival, and school.
Duke Health Profile Assessment:
Applicable RHY programs: Any
This short one page questionnaire asks simple, clear questions that not only address physical
health but also one feels about oneself. The second page is the scoring sheet.
The tool can be accessed at: http://www.integration.samhsa.gov/clinicalpractice/DukeForm.pdf
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Or you can access the health profile or other scales from Duke:
http://healthmeasures.mc.duke.edu/
Section 4: Behavioral and Mental Health Assessments:
Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths Assessment (CANS):
Applicable RHY programs: TLP/MGH, BCP
The Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) is a multi-purpose tool developed for
children’s services to support decision making, including level of care and service planning, to
facilitate quality improvement initiatives, and to allow for the monitoring of outcomes of
services. Versions of the CANS are currently used in 25 states in child welfare, mental health,
juvenile justice, and early intervention applications. A comprehensive, multi-system version
exists as well. The CANS was developed from a communication perspective so as to facilitate
the linkage between the assessment process and the design of individualized service plans
including the application of evidence-based practices. The CANS is easy to learn and is well liked
by parents, providers and other partners in the services system because it is easy to understand
and does not necessarily require scoring in order to be meaningful to an individual child and
family. The way the CANS works is that each item suggests different pathways for service
planning. There are four levels of each item with anchored definitions.
This tool is one that the clinician and/or case manager can completed after gathering all the
information and does not need to be done jointly with youth.
Link to access the form and other usual information:
http://www.praedfoundation.org/About%20the%20CANS.html
Beck Hopelessness Scale
Applicable RHY programs: TLP/MGH, SOP
A 20-item self-report inventory developed by Dr. Aaron T. Beck that was designed to measure
three major aspects of hopelessness: feelings about the future, loss of motivation, and
expectations. The test is designed for adults, age 17-80. It measures the extent of the
respondent's negative attitudes, or pessimism, about the future. It may be used as an indicator
of suicidal risk in depressed people who have made suicide attempts.
Can be ordered at the following website:
http://www.pearsonassessments.com/HAIWEB/Cultures/en-us/Productdetail.htm?Pid=0158133-609&Mode=summary
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Access for more information on all Beck Youth Inventories:
http://www.cup.ualberta.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/FINAL_BYI-II_Jan-2012.pdf
Walmyr’s Multi-Problem Screening Inventory (MPSI)
Applicable RHY programs: BCP, SOP
The Multi-Problem Screening Inventory (MPSI) scale is a multidimensional self-report measure
that helps you to better assess and understand the severity or magnitude of client problems
across 27 different areas of personal and social functioning. The MPSI is not a personality
inventory. It is a very practical assessment tool that is used to help you with initial problem
assessment, service or treatment planning, progress monitoring, and program evaluation.
This screen can be broken down or split up in subsections for SO youth depending on what is
needed at the time.
Link to access sample scale/subsections: http://www.walmyr.com/MPSISAMP.pdf
Trauma Symptom Checklist (TSCC)
Applicable RHY programs: TLP/MGH, BCP
The TSCC evaluates posttraumatic symptoms in children and adolescents (ages 8 to
16, with normative adjustments for 17 year-olds), including the effects of child
abuse (sexual, physical, and psychological) and neglect, other interpersonal
violence, witnessing trauma to others, major accidents, and disasters. The scale
measures not only posttraumatic stress, but also other symptom clusters found in
some traumatized children.
Link to access additional information: http://www.johnbriere.com/tscc.htm or
http://www.nctsn.org/content/trauma-symptom-checklist-children
Link to order: http://www4.parinc.com/products/product.aspx?Productid=TSCC
Here is a link to a document created by Children and Families Institute for Research, support
and Training as a member of The Children’s Trauma Consortium of Westchester and National
Child Traumatic Stress Network with an extensive list, review, and comparison of various
trauma assessment and screening tools. It is a rather thick document and is recommended
when you want to look up a specific tool to gain some more information or compare it. It is not
an exhaustive list and the other online databases may be more efficient. We only highlight it
here as a resource of good information and tools:
http://www.ncswtraumaed.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Child-and-Adolescent-TraumaMeasures_A-Review-with-Measures.pdf
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Additional behavioral and mental health screens and assessments:
Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE)
The ACE Score attributes one point for each category of exposure to child abuse and/or
neglect. Add up the points for a Score of 0 to 10. The higher the score, the greater the
exposure, and therefore the greater the risk of negative consequences.
Link to access questionnaire:
http://www.acestudy.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/ACE_CalculatorEnglish.127143712.pdf
Link to ACE website: http://www.acestudy.org/home
Link to ACE resources: http://acesconnection.com/
Here is a link to a PowerPoint presentation with National Child Traumatic Stress Network given
by Henry L. Conradi and C. Kisiel:
http://www.nctsn.org/nctsn_assets/pdfs/mediasite/05172012.pdf
Link to a two page table of mental health and substance abuse screening instruments
developed by the TA Partnership:
http://www.tapartnership.org/docs/screenListv3.pdf
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Section 5: Substance Abuse Assessments:
Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory – Adolescent (SASSI – A2)
Applicable RHY programs: TLP/MGH, BCP
*Recommend training on instrument and mental health in general
*There is a lot of support from the SASSI Institute and are more than willing to assist program
Main website for SASSI: www.sassi.com/
Brief Description:
Adolescent Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory - A2 identifies high or low
probability of substance use disorders for clients 12 to 18 years of age. The SASSI-A2
also provides clinical insight into family and social risk factors, level of defensive
responding, and consequences of substance misuse.
Ages:
Adolescents 12 to 18 years
Reading Grade Level: 4.4
Accuracy:
94% Based on empirical studies
15 minutes to administer and
Administration:
score
Sample case study:
http://www.sassi.com/services/cases/Differentiating%20between%20Substance%20Use%20an
d%20a%20Substance%20Use%20Disorder%20in%20Teens.pdf
This tool could be used a discussion tool with families and youth around substance use and
what services would be most appropriate. At the end of the questionnaire, the indicated
outcomes are either a High or Low probability of substance abuse/dependence. This objective
tool could potentially diffuse or support the idea that the young person needs inpatient
treatment.
Link to order product/support:
http://www.sassi.com/products/SASSIA2/shopSA2-pp.shtml#info
Some additional information on SASSI: http://aac.ncat.edu/newsnotes/y02win.html
Global Appraisal of Individual Needs – Short Screener (GAIN – SS)
Applicable RHY programs: TLP/MGH, BCP
Brief Description:
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The 3-5 minute GAIN SS is designed primarily to accomplish three purposes:
1. It serves as a short screen for general populations to quickly and accurately identify
clients who have one or more behavioral health disorders and would benefit from
further assessment or referral for these issues. It also rules out those who would not be
identified as having behavioral health disorders.
2. It serves as an easy-to-use quality assurance tool across diverse field-assessment
systems for staff with minimal training or direct supervision.
3. It serves as a periodic measure of behavioral health change over time.
Link to above information and additional information:
https://www.assessments.com/catalog/GAIN_SS.htm
Link to GAIN-SS resources and training manual:
http://www.ct.gov/dcf/lib/dcf/gain/pdf/gain-ss_manual_122006.pdf
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