How Do You Get a Court Ordered Drug or Alcohol Assessment?

A court-ordered drug or alcohol assessment is used to determine whether or not addiction is present. The assessment is either mandated through court or a concerned individual. In this case, we’ll be getting into the details of a court-related drug or alcohol assessment. 

This is a method with the purpose of giving help to those who need it. Long-term sobriety is the goal no matter the severity of addiction. An evaluation is necessary to obtain as much accurate information as possible.

After the evaluation, an effective treatment will be developed for the potential patient. If you or a loved one has been mandated a court drug or alcohol assessment, keep reading.

Getting a Court Ordered Drug or Alcohol Assessment

Here at Amethyst, we can help you take care of a drug or alcohol assessment for court purposes. Drug or alcohol assessments tend to be mandated through court after an incident like an arrest occurs. Addiction can cause a painful strain in somebody’s life, affecting their personal life and relationships. 

A court-ordered drug or alcohol assessment can also be mandated by choice or an intervention. The goal of this assessment is to determine the severity of your or a loved one’s misuse. It also helps us understand how to best go about treatment to ensure long-term sobriety. Better understanding of what you or a loved one is going through allows us to develop a solid treatment plan.

What is a Drug or Alcohol Assessment?

A drug or alcohol assessment is used as a method to determine whether or not there is an addiction at hand. In order to have a basis to move forward from, a drug or alcohol assessment for court is crucial.

If mandated by court, then this is a must.  Assessments are also oftentimes used by employers, families, and close individuals to determine whether or not misuse is occurring. The assessment will dive into the details of substance abuse history and present patterns.

Specifically, if you’ve been mandated a drug or alcohol assessment for court than it is a result of legal issues. To reiterate, something like a drug or alcohol-related arrest. Common tools used in a court-ordered drug or alcohol assessment are:

• Diagnostic Interview Schedule-IV (DIS-IV): This is a structured way of beginning to understand the presence of misuse. Severity varies by person, which is why this step is important. This method is done through the means of a questionnaire. However, some do feel that this method needs to be updated.
• Addiction Severity Index (ASI): This is a less structured interview which assesses seven areas, cited by NIAAA as “medical status, employment and support, drug use, alcohol use, legal status, family/social status, and psychiatric status.” This dives deep into your or a loved one misuse throughout the period of a lifetime. 

The Purpose of a Drug or Alcohol Assessment for Court

A drug or alcohol assessment is mandated by court to determine whether or not there’s an addiction at hand. If you or a loved one is misusing drugs or alcohol, we want to help. This assessment is a great first step in determining the severity of the issue.

After a drug or alcohol assessment for court, at least one of the following may be mandated:

• DUI Alcohol or Drug Use Risk Reduction Program (RRP)
• Random drug and/or alcohol urinalysis
• AA or NA meetings
• Substance abuse education class(es)
• Substance abuse counseling sessions
• Treatment program; either individual or group and either inpatient or outpatient

Beginning this process as soon as possible is really important. This shows the judge and prosecution that you’re not taking this lightly. We urge you to view this as a wonderful opportunity to begin your road to recovery. Whether it’s you or a loved one, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. 

Why Are Drug or Alcohol Assessments Mandated by Court?

Drug or alcohol assessments are mandated by the court to determine whether or not addiction is present. If misuse is detected, a treatment plan will be put in place. 

There are several reasons as to why a drug or alcohol assessment is mandated by court:

• To determine if the individual has a drug or alcohol addiction
• To assess the severity of the person’s substance use or addiction
• To discern are any co-occurring disorders, (medically, psychologically, or psychiatrically)
• To assess how the individual’s drug or alcohol use is impacting his or her life
• To provide a basis of information so a treatment plan can be created

Additional Details About the Drug and Alcohol Evaluation Process

Whether the drug or alcohol assessment is mandated by court or not, you will most likely need to bring certain documents. 

These may include: a copy of the results of your NEEDS Assessment if you went to a DUI Alcohol or Drug Use Risk Reduction Program (RRP), a report from the Department of Driver Services or Department of Motor Vehicles describing your driving history (generally going back 7 years), a copy of any criminal history or arrests, and a copy of the arrest report.

The evaluation will take approximately 60-90 minutes. In regards to the assessment itself, you will be interviewed by a professional that specializes in addiction. First, the professional will do a thorough review of your drug or alcohol abuse history. They will then look over the documents you brought and take it from there. 

The documents are made to help the court and our facility determine the treatment that best suits your needs. 

If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to us here. Remember, we’re here to guide you through the entire process.

A Court Drug or Alcohol Assessment Is a Tool to Help You Recover

We understand that learning about drug or alcohol assessments for court can be an unpleasant process. This may all be very new to you. However, we assure that the drug and alcohol assessments are made to help you. If you’re struggling with addiction, we want to help you and so do those around you.

One of the benefits of a drug and alcohol assessment is that it gives you a reality check. You’ll have to acknowledge your past and present toxic behaviors. This acknowledgment can lead to a long-lasting recovery and a whole lot of growth. The crucial part is that you’re open-minded and honest.

It is really important to be honest with the medical professionals and law officials around you. Honesty will allow us, as well as them, to properly assign you a treatment that makes a difference. This treatment plan will be tailored to your specific and unique needs.

Every obstacle is different. Something we really believe in is that there is no “one size fits all” approach. Each treatment plan is thoroughly reviewed to ensure it suits the individual. 

Whether it’s drug or alcohol problems, the court assessment will give insight into what the next steps should be. The assessment will gather information based on a variety of different aspects. This ranges from biological to psychological history. 

Once this information is understood, developing a treatment plan is a lot easier. The more accurate and detailed information, the better. Maybe inpatient treatment suits you or a loved one best…Or maybe an outpatient program is the way to go.

We offer a variety of different treatment programs in a beautiful facility. Our dedicated and caring staff will be there for you from your first to last day.

Meet us in the middle and we’ll be able to guide you down a path to long-term sobriety. 

Why Rehab is the Right Next Step to Take

After your drug or alcohol assessment, we’ll develop a treatment plan for you. We encourage you to feel excited about this process. It’s a really powerful tool to face your problems head-on with courage. It’s not always an easy process, but it’s most certainly worth it. 

There are many benefits to being in a treatment center. From comforting amenities to possible 24/7 supervision, you can put your entire focus on getting better. Sometimes the thought of recovery can feel overwhelming. However, in such a pleasant facility, you’ll find yourself feeling a lot more hopeful and inspired.

Some of the many benefits of enrolling into our treatment center include:

• A caring and attentive staff that put your needs first
• Many amenities at your disposal to make your stay comfortable and pleasant 
• Medically-trained professionals that specialize in substance abuse treatment 
• “You time” – You’ll have the ability to really build a positive and healthy foundation that will lead to a happy, fulfilling life.

Let Us Help You Through This Process

Here at Amethyst, our patients are a priority. If you or a loved one has been mandated a drug or alcohol assessment for court, we’re here for you. We understand that it can be stressful to begin a process you’re unfamiliar with. 

However, that’s why we have a team of experts ready to help. Long-term sobriety is very possible with the right tools at hand. After the court drug or alcohol assessment, you or a loved one will have a tailored treatment plan. 

Begin the road to recovery by giving us a call at 888.447.7724 or contacting us here.