Can Someone Assess Me Personally Before I Choose a Treatment Program?

If you have been looking into rehab services, you know that each program offers you and individualized care plan based on information gathered during an assessment period. It’s wonderful to have access to this level of care, but it feels a little scary to know that you won’t actually know what the plan is until you are already admitted.

If there a way to be assessed prior to treatment admission? How can you get prepared for what is to come?

Assessments really are conducted to:

• Determine the presence of an addiction
• Determine the extent of the addiction
• Evaluate the presence of co-occurring disorders
• Develop a treatment plan

Some of that can certainly be performed prior to choosing a treatment center. In fact, it might be a good idea to check on co-occurring disorders because should you have one, you may do better in a program that specializes in dual diagnosis.

The following discussion will explore your assessment options and help you to understand their benefits and drawbacks. In addition, we will explore the concept of self-assessment. You should feel more confident moving forward with your treatment decisions.

If you still have doubts or questions, however, getting them resolved as soon as possible will put you at ease. Let us help you with that. Call 800-430-1407Who Answers? and speak to an expert about assessments, finding a rehab center, and financing. Don’t wait. Call now.

Who Can Give Me an Assessment?

A physical exam is usually a part of your assessment.

Well, obviously the best assessment will be provided by the intake staff at a rehab center. It is part of their admission process. However, if you would like one done prior to intake, you can look to a social worker.

In a rehab center, multiple people will participate in your screening, but an independent assessment can certainly be conducted by a single person.

If your assessment is performed by a medical doctor, there will likely be more emphasis on a physical examination. In addition to examining your physical symptoms, they will also be able to identify co-occurring health problems. These are conditions that exist alongside the addiction. Non-medical persons and mental health experts might actually refer you to a physician for a physical exam.

You may also be given a urine exam to assess what you have been using and its concentration in your system. Blood tests are rare, but you may be asked for one if it is believed that your drug and/or alcohol use has impacted your medical health. For instance, if you have an alcohol problem, a blood test may help to determine liver function.

What Will My Assessment Look Like?

Your assessment will vary, but they often include:

• Questionnaires
• Surveys
• Physical exams
• Self-assessments

The first step is typically a standardized questionnaire designed to evaluate:

• Your current alcohol and drug use
• Your treatment history
• Your medical history
• Your Family medical history
• Your behavioral patterns
• Your symptoms
• The effect of your substance use on the rest of your life

After you work through these initial questions, you should participate in a one-on-one interview that relies on standard, opened ended questions to fill out gaps in the questionnaire responses. Anything you say should be kept in complete confidence.

How Do I Know What Level of Addiction Treatment Care is Right for Me?

What Is a Popular Assessment Tool?

There are many screening tools, including the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-C (AUDIT-C) and the National Institute on Drug Use Screening Tool (NIDA). One of the popular evaluations for problem drinking is the CAGE assessment.

CAGE is an acronym for:

• Have you ever felt you needed to cut down on your drinking?
• Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
• Have you ever felt guilty about drinking?
• Have you ever felt you needed a drink first thing in the morning (an eye-opener) to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?

If any two questions receive a “yes” answer, clinicians know that they should perform a further investigation of alcoholism. This test has been extensively validated.

To learn about other methods of assessment, call 800-430-1407Who Answers?. Our caring counselors are experienced in this field and they know all about rehab evaluations and intakes. Don’t let their expertise go to waste.