ASSESSMENT OF ADOLESCENTS FOR REFERRAL AND TREATMENT IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Course overview

Course Description: This course is based on a publication by SAMHSA and is available at the National Library of Medicine about the initial screening and comprehensive assessment of adolescents for substance abuse problems. According to SAMSHA, ?The Consensus Panel recommends that all adolescents who exhibit signs of substance use receive appropriate, valid, and sensitive screening. Health service providers, juvenile justice workers, educators, and other professionals who work with adolescents at risk should be able to screen and refer for further assessment. When screening turns up "red flags" that indicate that the adolescent may have a substance use disorder, the youth should be referred for a comprehensive assessment (Winters, 1994). . . . Comprehensive assessment follows a positive screening for a substance use disorder and may lead to long-term intervention efforts such as treatment. Screening procedures identify that a youth may have a significant substance use problem. The comprehensive assessment confirms the presence of a problem and helps illuminate other problems connected with the adolescent's substance use disorder. Comprehensive information can be used to develop an appropriate set of interventions.? This course serves as an excellent resource for mental health professionals who would like to build or refresh their knowledge about assessment and screening for substance abuse disorders. Adolescents are a special population and consideration for the unique needs of this population must be made when conducting screening and assessments. Psychologists, social workers, mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists can benefit from this course. This course may also be helpful for other practitioners, such as midwives and dieticians and nutritionists who work with the geriatric population. This course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to learn more about legal and ethical issues in screening older adults for substance abuse issues and problems. Author: SAMHSA Learning Objectives: This course will provide a professional with a summary of screening and comprehensive assessment of adolescents for substance abuse problems. Specifically, a professional will: ? Identify the components of the preliminary screening process. ? Describe the purposes of a comprehensive assessment for substance abuse problems. ? Indentify the content domains to be addressed in a comprehensive assessment for substance abuse.