Use the following resources to learn more about the screening and assessment of substance use disorders in parents.
Assessment of Drug & Alcohol Abuse
LA County Department of Children Family Services
Provides child welfare workers with an overview on how to assess for drug and alcohol abuse and provides instructions on observing, gathering, and assessing evidence to support the emergency response investigation.
Chart of Evidence-Based Screening Tools for Adults and Adolescents
National Institute on Drug Abuse (2015)
Presents a table of free, evidence-based screening tools including several that assess alcohol use and/or drug use in adults.
Helping Families Navigate Substance Use Disorders [Webinar]
Quality Improvement Center for Research-Based Infant-Toddler Court Teams (2018)
Covers tools and strategies for identifying and engaging parents with substance use disorders and provides clinical screening resources and approaches professionals can integrate into their practice. The webinar also provides advice on counseling families and evaluating treatment options.
Identifying Substance Use as a Risk Factor in Child Welfare Cases and Understanding How to Respond [Video]
National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (2015)
Provides practice principles to guide screening and assessment protocols in working with child welfare involved families who are affected by substance use disorders. This webinar provides information on a six-item screening tool designed to provide a simple and quick means of identifying risk for abuse and dependency for alcohol and other drugs named UNICOPE including a brief background on its development and its efficacy in identifying individuals who are in need of a clinical substance use assessment.
Matching Service to Need: How Family Drug Courts Identify, Assess and Support Families to Achieve Recovery, Safety, and Permanency (PDF - 790 KB)
Children and Family Futures (2016)
Provides guidance as well as explains the processes and common practices in family drug courts when identifying and assessing families to help match them with the appropriate level of support services. Questions are provided throughout the brief that professionals should consider during their assessment. The resource also provides recommendations for practice.
Screening and Assessment Tools Chart
National Institute on Drug Abuse (2018)
Presents a table of free, evidence-based screening tools to assess substance use, including several that assess alcohol use and/or drug use in adults.
Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services AdministrationProvides access to approach the delivery of early intervention and treatment to people with substance use disorders and those at risk of developing these disorders.
Substance Abuse Treatment: Addressing the Specific Needs of Women: Quick Guide for Administrators Based on TIP 51 (PDF - 453 KB)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2013)
Offers a quick guide that accompanies the treatment improvement guidelines set forth in "Substance Abuse Treatment: Addressing the Specific Needs of Women," number 51 in the Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) series. It summarizes the how-to information pertinent to behavioral health program administrators, focusing on program development, procedures, and policies in addressing substance use disorders among women in behavioral health settings.
Substance Use Best Practice Tool Guide
Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Division of Clinical Leadership in Collaboration, Division of Substance Abuse Services (2016)
Defines screening tests and explains some of the relevant concepts that make a screening tool valuable. It also walks readers through choosing a screening tool and offers several different tools and resources for professionals.
Substance Use Screening and Assessment Instruments Database
University of Washington and Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute (2019)
Assists clinicians and researchers in finding instruments used for screening and assessment of substance use and substance use disorders
So How Do You Know They Are Ready? Key Considerations for Assessing Families in Recovery for Reunification (PDF - 6,590 KB)
Children and Family Futures (2014)
Explores the impact of parental substance use on the parent-child relationship and the essential service components needed to address these issues.