Brief Overview of Screening and Assessment for Co-occurring Disorders

This paper discusses screening, assessment, and treatment planning for persons with co-occurring substance use and mental disorders. Screening indicates the likelihood that a person has, or doesn’t have, a disorder, thus whether or not additional assessment is needed. While many instruments may provide adequate screening, any single instrument will be more or less preferable depending upon a variety of situational factors, which each agency should consider when choosing an instrument to suits its purposes. The paper lists some instruments that screen for substance use or mental disorders or both, and provides an evaluation matrix and guidelines to aid the selection process. Assessment acquires information through administering instruments, conducting in-depth clinical interviews, reviewing client histories, etc. Assessment instruments are listed and discussed, and advice for counselors is included. In essence, screening and assessment warrant equivalent attention and should be accompanied by careful treatment planning and the provision of (or referral to) appropriate services.