Types of Assessments
Alcohol & Drug Assessments
A thorough assessment looks at the entire person. These are often court ordered for DUI offense or ordered by an attorney or Department of Children services ordered. The assessment involves paperwork and an interview, Some testing instruments used are the SASSI-4, Addiction Severity Index (ASI), TAPS, AUDIT, DAST-10, CAGE, MAST, SOAPP-R, SOAPP Version 1.0-SF, Adult Descriptors I & II, general questionnaires. The appointments can be in person or Tele-health-(phone, Zoom) conversation.
What To Expect in the Assessment:
Footprints to Recovery gives a good overview of what to expect during an alcohol and drug assessment:
https://footprintstorecovery.c...
"Drug and alcohol assessments help evaluate drug or alcohol misuse. They determine whether you’ve used drugs or alcohol over a certain period of time, and if you have a substance abuse problem. Sometimes drug and alcohol evaluations are required by prospective employers, other times they’re mandated by the court after a DUI or other unlawful act involving drugs or alcohol. Attorneys will sometimes use drug and alcohol assessments with claimants or defendants to support a case. Addiction treatment centers may use drug and alcohol evaluations to help determine what level of care you need.
Drug or alcohol assessments help determine:
- If you have a drug or alcohol addiction.
- The severity of your substance use.
- If there is a potential dual diagnosis (co-occurring mental health disorder).
- The impact of drug or alcohol abuse on your life.
- What components are needed in an addiction treatment plan"
A Mental Health Evaluation
A mental health evaluation helps us to understand if there is a mental health problem. This evaluation generally involves answering questions by completing testing paperwork. An evaluation helps gain insight into a person’s personality and past history of challenges. At no point in the process is the professional judging you, rather, they are working to help you understand and manage any issues or symptoms impacting your life.
As Advertised on Psychology Today
What To Expect in a Mental Health Evaluation
The Recovery Village gives a good example of what to expect in a mental health evaluation:
https://www.therecoveryvillage...
Anger Assessments
Violence related charges (i.e. domestic violence, domestic assault, disorderly conduct, domestic dispute, etc.) may require you to complete an Anger Management Assessment. The purpose of our Anger Management Assessment is to help obtain an accurate understanding of your relationship with anger. This involves you speaking with a counselor, providing a brief history of your anger and discussing other areas of your life.
The job of the clinician is to work with you to identify your relationship with anger. Other areas of your life will also be explored to determine how they may relate. The conclusion of the assessment involves the clinician making a clinical diagnosis along with any/all treatment recommendations (i.e. education and/or counseling. A variety of instruments may be completed with a Personal Anger Assessment, Clinical Anger Assessment & Anger Social survey.
** Deneen Bunch holds a total of 19 years of experience providing Professional Alcohol and Drug Assessments & Mental Health Evaluations to private individuals, Individuals working with Department of Children's Services, DUI/DWI Court Ordered and Attorney's request for A&D assessments.