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Assessment

Assessment is the process of a client systematically deciding whether they want to allow an organisation to work with them to help address their substance use issues. They decide what information they want to share and to what extent they will be prepared to  engage should services be offered.
Workers in an assessment ask questions to allow a client time and space to share information that is going to be relevant to their care. These questions will certainly be about levels of alcohol and drugs use. They will  also be about social functioning, criminal involvement and health.
Although, the key purpose of assessment seems to be information gathering, if all the focus goes on filling out the form then it will be counterproductive. The client may feel as if they are being auditioned for a part or interviewed for a job. They may feel that their needs are not particularly relevant to the process. Unless a worker can demonstrate their competence, knowledge and human warmth; unless they can give a sense of hope and also offer tangible benefits for engaging in the process, the client will simply not come back.
This course looks at the core issues involved in the assessment process, - it considers the type of rapport that needs to exist with the client, the kinds of questions that may be asked and strategies to deal with issues that may cause complications.

Objectives

By the time the course has finished participants will be able to:-

• Describe their role in the process
• Identify common problems in carrying out assessments
• Establish a rapport with a client
• Use an assessment form to support the process

• Record the assessment process

Length 1 day

DANOS Units

AF2     Carry out assessment to identify and prioritise needs
AF3     Carry out comprehensive substance misuse assessment
For more information on how we use DANOS click here

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Please note

All our courses are commissioned for groups and organisations. If you have more than three people who would benefit from working together on this topic, use the link at the the bottom of the page to contact me, or click here to find out more about getting us to deliver a programme.

We regret that we do not have an open access programme