Posted 19 Jan 2010 - 11:55 by editor
Specialist Assessment Form for Victorian Alcohol and Drug Services
An assessment tool is mandated as a standard and is stipulated in the Funding and Service Agreements of Victorian state government funded drug treatment organisations. Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre developed the Specialist Assessment Form for Victorian Alcohol and Drug Services for the Drugs and Health Protection Services Branch of the Public Health Division, Department of Human Services in 2000.
Its purpose was to assist AOD clinicians to develop a thorough understanding of the client's needs to formulate an Individual Treatment Plan for clients.
The instruction section of the document states that AOD organisations must successfully demonstrate that the assessment tool they use is of equivalent quality to the Specialist Assessment Form. It further states of its collaboration with the Primary Care Partnerships Strategy to avoid duplication of assessment tools and processes
The Specialist Assessment Form for Victorian Alcohol and Drug Services tool
• is not information collection instrument for any administrative or service monitoring purposes
• is not a questionnaire
• may not be appropriate for use with non-drug using clients, such as families
• could be an alternative to the Youth Assessment and Intervention Tool for clients under the age of 18
The instrument is
• modular in structure
• lends itself to flexible collecting of client information, reflecting the ongoing nature of assessment
• can be used in conjunction with other organisational specific assessments [the one cited in the document is "Medical History/Clinical Examination for clients of the Chemical Dependency Unit at the Royal Women's Hospital"
• takes into account clinician requirements in relation to experience, it provides prompts
• recommended that each Module be signed and dated on completion
The form comprises two modules:
Module 1: Intake Assessment and Case Summary
Module 2: 2.1: Details of Substance Use
2.2: Psychosocial History
2.3: Legal History
2.4: Medical History
2.5: Clinical Examination (medical officer completion)
2.6: Psychiatric History
The document directs drug treatment services to complete Module 1 at the time of first assessment and for all service types. Module 2 may be completed in any order and in any depth at a time and pace appropriate, to meet both client and clinician needs.
It is said, that the completion of these Modules will inform the development of the individual treatment plan to achieve treatment goals.
The instructions also emphasise the rigour of the consultation process undertaken, that included trialling and announces the intention that the Specialist Assessment Form for Victorian Alcohol and Drug Services would continue to evolve over time with feedback from the field.