Approved for up to 20 CEU's by NAADAC, the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors
The ASAM e-Course is an effective adult learning solution that leverages the advantages of web based training, while incorporating the content and methods of a successful onsite curriculum developed to teach participants how to make more informed and accurate level of care decisions, and to write clear, concise clinical justifications for them.
Click here to Purchase the ASAM e-Course
The course addresses the Continuum of Care, the Criteria, Dimension risk Ratings, the Assessment Considerations for each of ASAM's Six Dimensions and how to write clinical justifications for Dimension Risk Ratings, and the Level of Care Recommendation. However, substantially more time and modules are focused on understanding the "Assessment Considerations" for ASAM's Six Dimensions, and identifying the corresponding clinical information collected with assessment tools such as the Addiction severity Index (ASI) that inform / influence the assessment considerations and risk ratings for the dimensions.
The course is comprehensive and provides more content, details, and exercises than is possible during standard one and two day workshops. The course includes pre and post course learning measures, and support materials that can be downloaded. Upon successful completion of the post course learning measure users receive written performance feedback from Dr. Coyne, as well as an opportunity to discuss the feedback with him.
The ASAM e-Course is standardized, evidence based, easily accessible, cost effective and designed to increase learning, and support the transfer of learning back to the workplace. The design and functionality of the course enables learners to create a self-directed and self-paced learning experience that best meets their individual learning style, and needs in a way that traditional one and two day on-site workshops does not.
The course incorporates evidence-based adult learning principles, practices and interventions proven to increase learning and support the transfer of learning back to the workplace.
Individuals and organizations can purchase either three or six month subscriptions, however, the course is expected to be completed within the first 30 days of the subscription.
Blended Learning approaches are available: 1.) utilizes the ASAM e-Course in combination with Video Teleconferencing, and 2.) utilizes the ASAM e-Course in combination with workshops delivered onsite. Contact us to discuss the course, the blended learning approaches, or your organizations learning needs and we'll design a learning solution that best meets your needs.
As of this time, the ASI & ASAM e-Course have been used by individuals and organizations in three countries, and 14 states within the U.S.. The types of organizations using the course include Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Providers, Substance Abuse Research Organizations, Drug Courts, Probation, Parole and Single State Behavioral Health Agencies.
The ASAM & ASI e-Courses and workshops are designed and delivered by Thomas H. Coyne, Ed.D., LCSW, a nationally recognized adult educator providing evidenced based learning solutions regarding the assessment and treatment of persons with substance use and mental health disorders. He is one of the most experienced and effective trainers in the country regarding the correct use of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI), and the American Society of Addiction Medicines Criteria.
Evidence Based - Proven Effective - Designed For Transfer
Making Level of Care Recommendations & Writing Clinical Justifications Using the ASAM Criteria 3rd. Ed.
Goals & Objectives
Research on the evidence based practice of making Level of Care (LOC) Recommendations, a.k.a., patient placement decisions and matching clients to treatment indicates that mismatching clients to treatment, either under treating or over treating has been demonstrated to decrease a client’s successful engagement of treatment (Magura, et. al., 2002), and lead to poorer treatment outcomes (Magura et. al., 2002; McKay et. al., 2000). It is imperative that assessors and case managers learn how to make informed and accurate level of care recommendations, and write clear, concise clinical justifications for them.
Goal
To develop and/or enhance the knowledge and skills required to make more informed and accurate level of care recommendations, and write clear, concise clinical justifications for them utilizing the ASAM Criteria 3rd. Edition.
Objectives
- Identify and explain the rationale and benefits of using the American Society of Addiction Medicines (ASAM) Criteria.
- Differentiate between the ASAM Criteria and Conceptual Frameworks.
- Identify and explain the key components of the ASAM Criteria.
- Identify the general characteristics used to differentiate between the various levels of care along the continuum of care.
- Identify and differentiate the levels of care along the continuum of care used for the treatment of substance use disorders.
- Identify and differentiate between ASAM’s six dimensions of assessment.
- Identify the ASAM dimension(s) that are most directly informed and influenced by specific sections of standardized assessment instruments e.g., Bio-Psycho-Socials, ASI, & CASI.
- Identify clinical information /symptoms that correspond to each of ASAM’s Dimension’s assessment considerations.
- Identify, analyze and interpret the necessary clinical information to formulate a dimension risk rating for each of ASAM’s six dimensions.
- Synthesize risk ratings for ASAM’s Six dimensions to formulate a level of care recommendation.
- Learn how dimension risk ratings & clinical justifications directly drive treatment planning.
- Write a clinical justification for risk ratings in each of ASAM’s six dimensions.
- Write a clinical justification for a patient placement decision, a.k.a., level of care recommendation.
- Identify three common errors often made when writing clinical justifications.
Organizational Outcomes
Organizations employing staff who successfully complete this workshop and transfer their newly acquired knowledge and skills back to their workplace should see an improvement in the accuracy of level of care recommendations, and the clinical justifications for them. As a result of improved matching of clients to treatment, organizations could also see an increase in the initiation, engagement and retention rates of clients in treatment.
Career / Professional Relevancy
The knowledge and skills required to make informed and accurate clinical decisions using the ASAM Criteria, and writing clear, concise clinical justifications is a much needed and marketable skill to put on ones resume. Approximately 30 states, to varying degrees, use the American Society of Addiction Medicines (ASAM) Criteria (Mee-Lee, 2005), and as many as 40 states have utilization review mechanisms that involves matching clients to appropriate levels of care utilizing some form of criteria (Gregoire, 2000). In addition, many treatment providers are becoming approved providers of substance use disorder treatment for various insurance carriers. Many, if not all of these carriers require clinicians to be able to make informed and accurate decisions, and to be able to write clear, concise and clinically defensible justifications for those decisions.