What To Expect from A Substance Abuse Evaluation
Unfortunately, many people throughout the world are struggling with addiction. In a 2022 study, it was estimated that 20.4 million people were diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder in the United States alone. That is a startling statistic, considering that it is only 2022 newly diagnosed individuals. Likely due to the pandemic, the number of people struggling with addiction is only rising.
The positive side to all of this, at least, is that awareness about addiction is also increasing and making access to substance abuse treatment easier. However, easy does not equal simple. The truth is, there are a ton of paths someone could take to get help, which can feel complex and overwhelming. This is when a substance use evaluation can be a powerful jump start for someone and starting recovery.
What Are Substance Abuse Evaluations?
In its simplest terms, a substance abuse evaluation helps professionals such as doctors and therapists determine what is going on with someone who is struggling with addiction. It helps determine the extent of substance use, and from there, a game plan can be developed to create a tailored treatment plan for that person.
When Are They Conducted?
Substance abuse evaluations are required when entering a rehabilitation/treatment program or because of court orders. Court-ordered substance abuse evaluations are often required if someone is charged with illegally possessing a drug, DUI or DWI. In other cases, public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges may be ordered if substances are suspected as the reason behind a person’s behavior.
Some of the other most common reasons for a substance abuse evaluation are:
For employment reasons (positive drug tests, coming to work intoxicated or high, or inconsistent behavior at work)
When a loved one is concerned about someone in their family
What To Expect From A Substance Abuse Evaluation(SAEs)
Substance abuse evaluations typically last between 60 to 90 minutes and are conducted by medical professionals with expertise in addiction. The evaluation consists of two main parts: screenings and assessments.
Screenings
This part of the evaluation helps the medical professional determine if the substance abuse is likely to worsen. Standard tools for screening are:
CAGE Questionnaire: This consists of four questions the individual asks about their substance use. These questions only require a simple yes or no answer.
Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory(SASSI): This tool helps to determine if someone is highly likely to be diagnosed with any substance abuse disorder.
State-specific screenings: Some states will have their own required screenings that are used in place of the above two.
Assessment
The assessment stage provides a detailed evaluation of the individual's substance abuse patterns. The Diagnostic Interview Schedule-IV (DIS-IV) and the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) are commonly employed assessments by treatment facilities.
Diagnostic Interview Schedule-IV (DIS-IV): This assessment is fully structured and is used to determine the presence of a mental health disorder as outlined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by a mental health professional.
Addiction Severity Index (ASI): This assessment is less structured and examines multiple areas such as drug or alcohol use, employment, family or social status, medical situations, mental health, or someone’s legal status. This evaluation will look at the past 30 days of drug or alcohol use as well as the history of this usage.
What Now?
We hope this post answered some of your questions about what a substance abuse evaluation may involve. At Recovery Collective, we use our decade-plus experience of performing Substance Abuse Evaluations to help determine clients’ best treatment options, like our Addiction Recovery Intensive and potential referral options for higher levels of care. We are always here to support you with addiction counseling and your road to recovery.
If you struggle to adapt due to addiction and mental health concerns, contact us today so we can help you deal with anything that comes your way. We have a team of practitioners that can support you.