Assessment
General Points re: Assessment
Screening is different than assessment.
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Identifies whether further attention is warranted.
Appendix H
Assessment identifies needs and guides
treatment.
Assessment helps you get to know the client.
Assessment creates a holistic picture of the
client.
Basic Components
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Engage the client
Psychosocial History
Mental Status Exam
Strengths and wellness
Sometimes questionnaires, e.g. MAST, Beck Depression
Inventory, Mental Health Screening Form III, etc.
Safety – suicide, harm to others, domestic violence
Trauma
Culturally relevant
Watch “Mary” Interview
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Observe
Thinking
 Behavior
 Emotion
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Avoid interpretation, drawing conclusions,
making judgments
Write down what you see
Sources of information
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The client
The client, later
Collaterals: parents, partners, siblings, adult
children
Previous records
Parole/probation officer
*Remember confidentiality laws!!!
Quiz topics
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4 explanations for relationship between chem. Dep and
mental disorder (secondary substance abuse, secondary
psychiatric, common factor and bidirectional)
Quadrants of care
What does DSM IV-TR stand for and what is it’s
purpose
Multiaxial system – 5 axes
Difference between assessment and screening
Sources of information for assessment
Components of assessment
Rules for distinguishing substancerelated from psychiatric sx
***History of symptom (sx) onset
***Quality of sx
***What happens over 4 week period of
abstinence?
*Family history (hx) of m.h. or cd?
*Tx hx?
*Response to medication
Case discussion
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Read the scenario
Identify sx. Do NOT draw conclusions…just
list emotions, behaviors, cognitive process or
content that seems like a sx.
Create a timeline of past and current sx.
Include psychosocial stressors on timeline.
Which of the “rules” might be relevant?
Stage of Change Assessment
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What changes does Bill need to make?
Drinking
 Social life
 Working
 Counseling
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What stage is he at for each (pg. 94)
Emotional, Behavioral or Cognitive
Conditions and Complications
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American Society of Addiction Medicine
(ASAM) Dimension 3 (of 6)
Areas of risk that need to be assessed:
Dangerousness/lethality
 Interference with addiction recovery efforts.
 Social functioning
 Ability for self-care
 Course of illness-what is this person’s pattern of sx
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Treatment Matching –
Figure 4-3, pg. 97
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Small groups
You will draw three slips of paper
Review the sections you draw and discuss:
What do you know?
 What further information would help you provide
the best treatment match?
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