Chemical Dependency Assessment Paper

A chemical dependency assessment is an evaluation that is performed by a trained professional to determine whether an individual is suffering from a drug or alcohol dependency. The evaluation process takes place by using various instruments that include, but are not limited to, the CAGE, the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), and the Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT). Once an assessment instrument is chosen, it is important to evaluate the findings carefully to ensure that an appropriate treatment option is selected for the client. In addition, trained professionals must be prepared to accommodate special populations in order to provide optimal service to clients. The CAGE tool is a frequently used screening instrument that consists of asking clients four brief questions related to their drinking. These questions are designed to determine whether the client is experiencing problems related to alcohol. Since this instrument is relatively brief, it is easily utilized and effective in various types of clinical settings. The CAGE only examines alcohol use; however, CAGE-AID (Adapted to Include Drugs), is an extended version of this tool that is designed to include the use of illegal as well as prescription drug use (McNeece & DiNitto, 2011, p.88). …show more content…
Two or more answers of yes would indicate a positive result while one yes answer would indicate that further exploration is necessary (McNeece & DiNitto, 2011, p.89). Fortunately, according to the CAGE screening, John’s reliance on alcohol has yet to reach the point of severity. However, because he answered yes to one of the questions that inquired about feelings of guilt after drinking to excess, this indicates a need to further examine the problems John may be experiencing as a way of preventing severe problems in the