The need for the assessment of substance abuse evaluation is crucial to identify underlying issues, substance abuse history, co-occurring disorders, medical conditions and behavioral health treatment history.
These individuals do not suffer consequences as a result of their alcohol or drug use immediately but tend to suffer in the long run in the areas of relationships, health, legal, or occupational issues. A substance abuse evaluation can be an eye opener for many. It helps in educating the individual and their family members on the extent of that individual's actual problem. Usually strong professional treatments and therapy sessions are recommended to such individuals and have been proven to be a turning point with their substance/alcohol or drug issue. To reap the maximum benefits of treatment, the highest level of accountability is required and expected of the client and a strong peer to peer support network often ensures the same.
There are some legal situations wherein substance abuse evaluation becomes mandatory such as:
- Driving While Ability Impaired
- DWAI Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
- Custody dispute
- Arrest for other crimes where the individual was intoxicated
Sometimes concerned friends or family members may also request for substance abuse evaluation in cases like:
- Parents of dependent or non dependent child who suspect alcohol and/or drug use in their children
- A spouse
- Adults who are suspecting increased substance/drug/alcohol usage in their parents
In some rare cases, employers also seek for evaluation of their employees in cases like:
- High absenteeism
- Erratic behavior in any employee
- Frequent and unpredictable mood swings
- Coming to work intoxicated which is the most common one
- Drinking on the job
- Positive random drug screens to ensure healthy work environment
There are several types of Assessments as well-
- Substance use assessment (usually utilized for court cases that need of alcohol/ drug evaluation)
- Drug Free Workplace evaluation
- DOT SAP Evaluation
- Substance Use Evaluation
Basic information gathered during an alcohol and drug evaluation includes:
- Demographics
- Family background
- Social history
- Occupational history
- Legal history
- Medical history
- Mental health history
- Substance use history and patterns
- Observation for mood, behavior and mental status
- Risk assessment
Here we have shared some of the most common recommendations after assessment as well which the individual might get after assessment. These recommendations will vary from individual to individual based on the level of severity of the case.
- No Services needed at this time
- Monitoring for further assessment
- Outpatient Education Services
- Community Support Groups
- Individual Outpatient Counseling
- Group Therapy
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
- Partial Hospitalization or Day Treatment
- Detoxification
- Inpatient Treatment
If you would like to have a thorough meeting, make sure you connect with us. Here for you Enterprise will be delighted to help sort out any confusions and bring clarity to every individual.
This article genuinely published here and copied here with permission.US government considers every citizen’s life important.
With this intention in mind, it has banned the use of substance consumption by people working in industries where use of substance could potentially put the life of other citizens in danger.Therefore, industries like road transport, aviation, defense, oil industry, and others have made annual substance abuse evaluations compulsory.
All people employed in such industries must take annual substance and alcohol abuse evaluation, irrespective of their position in the hierarchy.Any person that fails substance use evaluations due to any reason is suspended and asked to go off duty from immediate effect.
This is done as a measure to dissuade people from substance abuse, and to protect life and property of other people.How long is the suspension for substance evaluation?As per the rules, once you are suspended from duty for substance abuse, you are required to go through substance rehabilitation, get substance use evaluation from a registered and verified practitioner.
Upon clearing the second test, you can either apply for job elsewhere or rejoin your duty again.
In reality, suspension can take from a minimum of 2 years, till the time you clear the substance assessment test.What are other reasons for substance use evaluation?There can be multiple reasons when you might be asked to take substance abuse evaluations other than compulsory annual substance assessments.Order of the court:If you are entangled in a court case and the court asks you to get your substance evaluation to accept you as a sane person.
