Module 2: Screening and Assessment

Introduction

Module 2 provides information on mental health, substance use, and co-occurring disorders. Specific information is provided on prevalence, types of disorders, and the relationships that occur between mental health and substance use disorders. This module also contains information that provides an introduction to screening and assessment and definitions of these terms in each system. More detailed information about assessments and screening is provided in the sections on juvenile justice system assessments, screening for mental health and substance use disorders, and mental health and substance abuse assessments.

The section on standardized screening and assessment instruments provides information on tools used to measure mental health and substance use disorders and instruments that measure both, including the increasingly popular Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument (MAYSI~2). Special issues that concern self-reporting and ways to clarify the diagnosis of co-occurring disorders are discussed in this module as are collaborative models of screening and assessment.