Module 2: Screening and Assessment

2A. Screening and Assessment in the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Systems

In the areas of mental health and substance abuse, screening and assessment serve two different purposes. The purpose of a screening tool is to identify youth with co-occurring disorders who are in need of a more comprehensive assessment.

Screening is defined as a brief procedure to:

• Determine the presence of a problem (e.g., mental health disorder, substance abuse)
• Substantiate that there is a reason for concern
• Identify the need for further evaluation

Screening is conducted early in the process of collecting information. It may be done by interviewing the youth using a checklist or questionnaire. A screening tool used to determine the presence of a mental health and/or substance abuse problem should take no more than 30 minutes. It also should be simple enough for a variety of professionals (including non-health care professionals) to administer it. Once identified, these youth may receive a more extensive assessment to determine the type or intensity of specialized treatment services needed. Screening tools are not designed to provide a mental health or substance abuse diagnosis.

Assessment is defined as a more comprehensive diagnostic and treatment planning process typically based on initial screening information. A comprehensive mental health or substance abuse assessment may take hours to complete and should be linked to a treatment plan. The goals of assessment are to:

• Examine the scope and/or severity of mental health and substance abuse problems
• Identify other psychosocial problems that may need to be addressed in treatment
• Provide a foundation for treatment planning
• Examine the extent the youth’s family can be involved in further assessment and treatment
• Identify specific strengths of youth that can be implemented in the treatment plan
• Explore the youth’s level of motivation for treatment

An assessor is typically a well-trained health professional with experience in adolescent mental health or substance abuse, and specialized instruments may be used. See Standardized Screening and Assessment Instruments.