Northern Wyoming Mental Health Case Study

Throughout my experience at Northern Wyoming Mental Health my knowledge has been vastly broadened to the true interworking’s that can be attributed to the world of addiction. There is a very large difference between what is taught in classes and what really goes on behind the scenes of someone working in this field. One of the many aspects within this field that I didn’t really understanding was assessment worked and what the intake process of a client really entailed. I had the privilege of sitting in on assessments and talking with therapists in order to get a better understanding of what really goes on when a person first comes to therapy. Though these procedures more than likely vary between different mental health service provider, this …show more content…
However, before the clients sees the therapist, the therapist’s overviews their ASI and highlights those items in which may help them place the client in the appropriate level of care. The ASI is used to help determine a person’s level of addiction and how it affects the various aspects as well as the functioning of your life. These levels of care include Residential Inpatient, Intensive Outpatient, Outpatient, and Continuing Care though Northern Wyoming does not have an inpatient program at this …show more content…
This interview allows the therapists to get a better understanding of what the client is there for and also allows the client to self-report about things that were said in the ASI. The clinician gathers and records information about their clients’ goals, what they want out of counseling, why they think they are there, if they believe they have a problem, and really whatever the client is willing to disclose. It was very interesting to me to see how willing these people are to seek help and talk about things that most people don’t know about them. Through these recordings they are then able to compare these findings to the ASI results. Using the DSM they are then able to make an initial diagnosis of that individual.
After this diagnosis is made the therapist is then able to begin formulating a plan for that client with the help of the ASAM (American Society of Addiction Medicine). This may entail a referral if needed for a specific level of care, beginning treatment plan, and possibly goals for that person. People leaving the intake interview may not always know that they are going to have to do and it varies between those who are voluntary or court