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ASSESSMENT AS AN ETHICAL ISSUE
In my state, addiction professionals like to use the client assessment from the court for court mandated clients. Depending on the skill of the person conducting the assessment, the document may or may not supply the information needed by the treatment agency. Not all addiction counselors are qualified to conduct assessments and yet many are required to do so. Some years back, a supervisor reported that newly hired counselors with minimal training were being required to enter DSM-IV diagnoses in client's charts. The supervisor quit due to his concern about a grievance being filed against him. When a NAADAC member asked if we should have an ethical standard related to the qualifications of addiction professionals who make diagnoses and perform assessments, we drafted a proposed standard. How do agencies/ treatment professionals in your state decide how and when assessments are conducted and by whom?
