The Importance of Addiction Assessment - How, When and Why it is Valuable for Drug and Alcohol Treatment

Determining the Level of Care

Like many things in life, starting slow and building up to a more complex solution is the ideal way to address a problem. By approaching drug and alcohol treatment from the bottom up, the patient and his or her family can receive professional medical assistance, while reducing the level of interference with their daily lives. A professional addiction assessment is the first step toward determining an appropriate level of care, and helps to ensure that the recovery process is just right for the patient's needs. If the patient has insurance, providers are most often willing to pay for outpatient procedures before paying for inpatient procedures. While the inpatient drug and alcohol treatment recovery process can be highly beneficial for patients who need this type of treatment, it is most always more expensive than outpatient treatment, and does require a residential stay away from family or friends. An addiction assessment will determine whether the patient needs this type of in-depth treatment, or if he/she c an be equally served in an outpatient setting.

During an assessment, medical professionals will work to learn not only what the patient needs help with, but also who they are, and why drug and alcohol addiction is a destructive element in their life. Any other conditions that can perpetuate drug and alcohol abuse can be determined and logged, such as psychological factors, health problems, family involvement, spiritual needs, etc. At its root, drug and alcohol addiction is a disease, but there are multiple potential compliments to the disease that must be addressed during an addiction assessment to determine an appropriate level of care. For example, if a patient suffers from a psychological imbalance which requires medication, is an outpatient or inpatient facility equipped to serve that patient appropriately? If the patient is deeply religious, does the drug and alcohol treatment facility offer spiritual services or resources to help the patient through the recovery process?

Overall, an addiction assessment is invaluable as the first step toward recovery, as they help patients, family members, and medical professionals understand the best approach toward treating an individual's addiction problem. They are a professional, discreet, and caring step toward overcoming addiction, and resuming a life free of drugs and alcohol.