Substance Use Screening Tools

Substance Use Screening Tools

Respond to at least two colleagues who chose a different case in one or more of the following ways:

Compare and contrast the screening tools your colleague selected for their case with the tools you selected for yours. Explain whether there are any tools they selected that would be helpful to use with both clients.
Identify another tool that your colleague might want to use with their client and explain how it could be beneficial.

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Substance Use Screening Tools

What I would want to screen the client for.

In Manuel’s case, it would be necessary to screen for co-occurring disorders. Manuel has been having issues at home and at work due to his drinking habit (Walden University, 2023). His wife Isabella is unhappy with the way things are going in their marriage, making Manuel afraid that he may lose his family. He has also been experiencing some pain from an earlier incident at work that resulted in the loss of one of his friends. He has trouble sleeping due to fear and flashbacks from the past.

Manuel has also experienced racial comments from his supervisors, customers, and coworkers. In his case, I would want to screen for PTSD due to his flashbacks, insomnia, isolation, fear, and loss of interest in activities (Walden University, 2023). Manuel has been highly encouraged by his boss to seek help with his drinking due to customers reporting the smell of alcohol when he delivers to their home. All these factors are an indicator for a substance use dependency and a co-occurring mental health disorder.

Three screening tools I would use for my client.

I would use the PTSD Symptom Scale Interview (PSS-I), which is a 17-item assessment tool that helps identify a traumatic event that may be causing his symptoms (SAMHSA, 2020). This assessment tool will be beneficial for identifying the severity of his alcohol dependency and whether he will need a detoxification program.

References:

Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2020). Foundations of addictions counseling (4th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.

Chapter 5, “Introduction to Assessment” (pp. 94-117)

Chapter 6, “Assessment and Diagnosis of Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders” (pp. 118-135)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). TIP 42: Substance use disorder treatment for people with co-occurring disordersLinks to an external site.Links to an external site.. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series. No. 42. https://store.samhsa.gov/product/tip-42-substance-use-treatment-persons-co-occurring-disorders/PEP20-02-01-004

Chapter 3, “Screening and Assessment of Co-Occurring Disorders” (pp. 31-68)

Walden University, LLC. (2023). SOCW 6202 case studies Week 3Links to an external site.Links to an external site. [Interactive media]. Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com

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What I Would Specifically Want To Screen For Angela as I Begin Screening and Assessment Process

As I commence screening and assessing my client, Angela Peter, I would prioritize comprehensive screening beyond her present cocaine use, as I must acknowledge the complex and nuanced contexts that clients present (O’Neill & Nakash, 2021). The approach aligns with the holistic approach crucial in addiction counseling (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020). Her pattern of cocaine consumption, where she believes she can no longer imagine ending a day without using it and is concerned about heavier use resulting in leaving her child unattended to access it, necessitates a comprehensive substance use disorder evaluation. Critically, her experience with intimate partners is a crucial area for immediate screening for those who have become increasingly physically and emotionally abusive, which necessitates referring her to the IPV agency. The case study indicates that Michael punched her face while holding the child. Besides, the client reports feeling sad and hopeless, lost, and using cocaine to cope with loneliness and worthlessness, strongly suggesting screening for depression and suicidality. Due to child protective services involvement and Megan portraying some signs of neglect, I would screen for her parenting capacity, safety, and well-being.

Three Screening Tools I Would Use For Angela and Why I Think These Specific Tools Would Be Helpful

Alcohol and Drug Identification (CAGE-AID) Questionnaire: the tool would help as the initial screening for cocaine use. Its direct questions can reveal potential problematic patterns even if she denies using the substance, aligning with the need to screen substance-specific screening (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020).

Patient Health Questionnare-9 (PHQ-9). I would consider this instrument to screen depression, as Angela hints at being depressed. The tools are helpful, being widely used, and self-administered questionnaires that assess the severity of depressive symptoms can help establish if the client needs an in-depth mental assessment.

Hurt, Insult, Threaten, Scream (HITS). The tool would help screen IPV since Angela reported incidents of physical abuse by her spouse, Michael. The brief four-item questionnaire directly inquires about harm, threat, or screening by a partner, which can provide expedited IPV assessment risk and severity and validate her experience.