A substance use assessment determines what stage of addiction a person is in and identifies the level of care they need. I offer two kinds.
Formal assessment
A formal assessment is in depth and follows a formal process of collecting a psychosocial background, including substance use, prior treatment, and legal and medical history. It includes a formal diagnosis and a recommendation for treatment. This is usually the assessment needed to meet legal requirements.
- About 30 minutes completing the SASSI (Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory), a self-administered screening.
- About an hour for a biopsychosocial interview with me.
- A final half hour to go over the findings and my recommendations.
- A complete written assessment and treatment recommendation for legal purposes, which takes an additional 2 hours to prepare.
If needed, I can appear in court to present my formal assessment and professional recommendation.
Informal assessment
An informal assessment is more relaxed and conversation-based. The questions focus on where you are in your willingness to change. Do you want something different for yourself, or are you content where you are? That is important information for making a treatment recommendation.
Read more: What to expect from a drug and alcohol assessment.