NCJ Number
171143
Date Published
May 1998
Length
79 pages
Annotation
This document contains guidelines to help drug courts develop effective policies, procedures and techniques for screening and assessing treatment needs of drug court participants.
Abstract
Screening refers to the relatively brief examination of program eligibility criteria (both criminal justice and clinical), while assessment involves a more detailed review of psychosocial problems and treatment needs. Diagnosis is part of the assessment process, and summarizes the pattern of current symptoms and functional impairment for several types of disorders. Failure to provide appropriate screening and assessment can lead to misidentification of problems, ineffective treatment planning, and placement in services that are inconsistent with the needs of participants. The document presents general issues related to screening and assessing drug court clients, describes in detail the processes and elements of screening and assessment, summarizes key issues for drug courts to consider as they screen and assess participants, and provides resource materials. Notes, table, appendixes, references, bibliography