SUBSTANCE ADDICTION ASSESSMENT
SUBSTANCE ADDICTION ASSESSMENT SCREENING
The purpose of a Substance Addiction Assessment in any situation is to better understand how a thing works and or perhaps what its needs are. When we are talking about addiction assessments help us to better understand the proper level of care for a person based on their presenting use patterns. It also helps us to have a beginning understanding of any medical or mental health issues that may interfere with our ability to help the person we are trying to serve.
COMPRENENSIVE SUBSTANCE ADDICTION ASSESSMENT
With their office in Walnut Creek they serve the Cities of Walnut Creek, Danville, San Ramon, Alamo, Lafayette, Moraga, Pleasanton as well as the greater San Francisco bay Area of California.
No One, and I mean no one should enter treatment without an assessment screening to help the treatment provider grasp the clinical needs, treatment approaches to be employed, and how much the person is vested in getting sober for them. It is crucial to creating a possible treatment plan that is really specific to the person with whom you are working now versus a boxed one size fits all approach to treatment.
These concerns are at the very root of the beginning of a treatment episode that is based on understanding the person with whom you are working, and to what extent you can help them. And, how best to provide treatment to them will be an outgrowth of this information. So, if we ideally agree that there is a consistent need for an introductory assessment to properly plan treatment and author how best to bring it about.
Then we should also agree that the process of assessment and engagement should continue throughout the treatment episode if we want to have any real chance of success. And success in this situation is imperative because a literal life is at stake if you believe as I do that one of addictions primary goals is to put you to sleep ‘for keeps”. After all addiction in its most primal presentation is about checking out correct, well then it follows that the ultimate goal of addiction is to finally once and for all check out for good. Thus we never take our eye off the ball so to speak, and we continue to assess what is happening and what is needed to afford us the greatest chance for a successful treatment outcome.
Here at Weyland it is our primary belief that a key component of the assessment process is that of Engagement. For the client who is not engaged will not benefit from your services or overtures of support. So, not only do we continue to assess our clients’ needs, we also continue the process of engagement as well thereby assuring that on some level our client will have a greater potential of buying into what is being done or offered to him or her.
One of the core issues of addiction is ambivalence. If you agree with me that this is so then you will also see the need for ongoing engagement and how it plays a primary role in keeping your client involved and active in his or her treatment. Being a passive participant (often an outgrowth of ambivalence) in addiction treatment will not cut it. People die from this illness and since that is so we cannot be passive as providers and must not allow our clients the skewed luxury of passivity in their engagement in getting the help they so desperately need.
So, we assess and engage, and we don’t stop till treatment ends. We never stop doing so, for to do so could cost someone their life and allow addiction to win as opposed to recovery. Recovery and reengagement with our society as productive members of that society is our goal. The goal of addiction is to end lives, literally. Our goals are to save lives, and not let the addictive process win. So we stay vigilant by continuing to assess client needs and how best to provide those needed services, as well as continuing to help our clients remain active participants in their own treatment by ongoing Engagement.
Author: Fredrick Wade, CAS, RAS
Certified Addiction Specialist
Registered Addiction Specialist
Weyland Consultation Services offers Substance Addiction Assessment Services as well as Discreet and Confidential Intervention and Outpatient Alcohol and Drug and Treatment Programs for adults and adolescents in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. With their office in Walnut Creek they serve the Cities of Walnut Creek, Danville, San Ramon, Alamo, Lafayette, Moraga, Pleasanton as well as the greater San Francisco bay Area of California.
Weyland Consultation Services
Walnut Creek Addiction and Recovery
2930 Camino Diablo, Suite 110
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
(Serving the greater San Francisco Bay Area)
Phone: (925) 945-7816 ext. 41
Website: http://www.weylandservices.com
Website: http://www.weylanddetoxservices.com
Website: http://www.weylandinterventionservices.com
Email: info@weylandservices.com
When Hope Is Not Enough, by Fred Wade
- C.A.S., R.A.S. Certified Addition Counselor
This book provides families reference points to refer to when and if an alcohol or chemical abuse problem were to arise with someone they love. It will provide a framework for thinking about and responding to alcohol and chemical abuse problems, as well as a means to finding answers to many unique situations.
Fred Wade holds both National and State certifications as an addictions counselor. He has worked in the field of addiction since the mid 80’s, having worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Weyland Consultation Services which specializes in outpatient treatment of addictive disorders for adults and adolescent males and females. Weyland Consultation Services is located in Walnut Creek California, and serves the greater San Francisco Bay Area.