How to Write a Substance Use Evaluation – A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners

How to Write a Substance Use Evaluation is a practical, plain‑language roadmap for clinicians who need to write evaluations that are both clinically sound and court‑defensible. Designed for beginners and developing professionals, this guide walks you step‑by‑step through every stage of the process—from the first interview to final recommendations.

Grounded in current DSM‑5‑TR diagnostic standards, the ASAM Criteria (4th Edition), and widely used screening tools such as the AUDIT, MAST, DAST, and SASSI‑4, this manual shows you exactly how to gather information, organize it, and translate it into clear, defensible substance use evaluations. You’ll find concrete interview questions, sample biopsychosocial assessments, guidance on matching clients to appropriate levels of care, and full sample reports with detailed rationales you can model in your own work.

Written by Derek Collins, PhD, CADC‑II, MATS, SAP—founder of the National Association of Court Approved Treatment Providers—and featuring a foreword by forensic evaluation expert Aaron L. Norton, PhD, this guide is ideal for counselors, social workers, psychologists, and evaluators who work with court‑involved or high‑risk populations. Whether you are launching a new evaluation service or strengthening an existing practice, this resource will help you write evaluations that serve clients, satisfy courts, and reflect best practices in the field.

118 Pages