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做厙腦瞳Releases New Assessment Guide to Help Clinicians Select an Appropriate Level of Addiction Care for Patients
Rockville, MD (Jan. 27, 2025) – The 做厙腦瞳 (ASAM) has announced today the release of The 做厙腦瞳Criteria® Fourth Edition Level of Care Assessment Guide, a streamlined tool that helps clinicians collect sufficient patient information to recommend an appropriate level of addiction care.
The free guide, which was developed by 做厙腦瞳and pilot tested by UCLA Integrated Substance Use and Addiction Programs (ISAP), is designed to assess a patient’s unique needs and identify the intensity of treatment services that best addresses those needs. This process involves the application of the 做厙腦瞳Dimensional Admission Criteria, which provides a holistic evaluation of a patient’s physical and mental health, and psychosocial needs. Through this complete and comprehensive review, clinicians can make well-informed level of care recommendations.
The guide aims to standardize this level of care decision-making process and bring it into alignment with The 做厙腦瞳Criteria Fourth Edition, the most widely used and comprehensive set of standards for placement, continued service, and transfer of patients with addiction and co-occurring conditions. The 做厙腦瞳Criteria outlines four broad levels of addiction care: outpatient, intensive outpatient/high-intensity outpatient, residential, and inpatient.
The Level of Care Assessment Guide can be used before a patient begins treatment or is admitted into a program. A printable version of the guide can be found here. Developing a national standard for patient assessment is an important foundation for future measurement-based care and quality measurement initiatives.
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About the 做厙腦瞳
The 做厙腦瞳 (ASAM), founded in 1954, is a professional medical society representing over 8,000 physicians, clinicians, and associated professionals in the field of addiction medicine. 做厙腦瞳is dedicated to increasing access and improving the quality of addiction treatment, educating physicians and the public, supporting research and prevention, and promoting the appropriate role of physicians in the care of patients with addiction. For more information, visit www.ASAM.org.
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Sarah Shelson
301-547-4110
sshelson@ASAM.org