Court Ordered Substance Abuse Evaluations are difficult to understand at times. It may seem to be a form of punishment or a way of convicting an offender. That is not the case. An Evaluation is a tool in which trained professionals use to dig information about an individual’s substance abuse history. In court, it is used as a guide for finding a general solution to a proceeding case. The judge issues a Court Ordered Substance Abuse Evaluation. It costs from 100- 150 dollars depending on the medical facilities the person would wish to carry out the evaluation. The process helps identify the substance at hand, the dosage intake the person has consumed, and the level of the frequency the person has been abusing the drug.
Processes of a Substance Evaluation
A court-ordered substance abuse evaluation test’s primary purpose is to help a person fight and overcome his addictions. Also, it helps the assessor determine which treatment serves the abuser better. However, there are many reasons why an evaluation is usually conducted either medically or for legal purposes. Whichever the case, the protocol followed and the methods applied are the same. Here are some processes used when conducting an evaluation.
- Screening: This is the initial process. The professional trainer would disclose what the disorder the substance abuser is facing. The diagnostics of the test conducted is either positive or negative. Nothing more or less than the two possible outcomes is expected.
- Assessment: The Court Justice System requires no comprehensive guidelines, but, This second process marks a crucial phase. It’s a phase in which the nature of the problem is disclosed. In case clinicians aren’t sure, another test may be conducted. It rarely reaches that point, though.
- Follow-up: The follow-up(s) process is only applicable if there is a need for counseling or a recommended treatment. It’s a way of holding an individual’s hand and making sure that treatment is followed to the latter. In that way, the chances of the patient recovering are sure.
- Referral: The stage involves the recommendation of a particular program, treatment, or a counselor to the abused patient. It is usually associated with the outcome of the previous processes. At some point in the process, a drug test is recommended or a physical diagnosis. Questionnaires are used in the assessment and in this stage to understand an individual’s condition. Its key to note that the former and latter stages mentioned, their questionnaires have different formatting styles
More about Court-ordered Substance Evaluation
In the case where it’s not the judge who has ordered the evaluation, then it is done preemptively. The order is passed when you’re publicly abusing alcohol, driving under the influence of drugs, fake identification documents when purchasing substances, and distribution, among other cases.
Evaluations favor one’s legal cases. It proves one is willing to corporate with the law and that they are not resistant. The judge inducts a penalty that fits the offense committed without having to rely on biased rulings. If the judge recommends treatments, community programs, or counseling, your sentence will be less. In turn, your case would be more simplified.
Court judges are aware that substance abuse may cause severe or fatal repercussions, hence the need for them to order the abuser to undergo substance abuse evaluation for the mind, body, and relationship engagements to be healthy. Cooperate with the court order, and don’t just bargain your mental health with anything. A team of professionals will cancel and guide you through every process.