This course is offered as a means to fulfill a requirement for licensure as an Addictions Counselor in the state of Montana in Assessment and Treatment Planning in the Addictions Setting. While designed to fulfill requirements for both assessment and treatment planning, this course primarily focuses on Assessment in the addictions setting. Its sister course, AC 509, while designed to fulfill requirements for both assessment and treatment planning, primarily focuses on ASAM and treatment planning in the Addictions Setting.  Topics of AC 503 include fundamental of clinical assessment (test standardization, reliability and validity); clinical evaluation in the addictions setting, developing understanding of appraisal instruments and needs, assessment used with individuals and systems in the addictions setting; using information derived from selected appraisal instruments specifically in the addictions setting in patient placement and treatment planning.

AC 503 is offered during the 1st session (August 25th - October 15th) in the Fall 2021 semester. 

  1. 1. History and theory basis for assessment. (CACREP 7a)

    2. Role of appraisal/assessment, evaluation, testing and in the additions counseling field (CACREP 7.a)

    3. Statistical and psychometric concepts- test standardization, validity, reliability, norms, measures of central tendency, standard error of measurement (SEM), standard scores, and percentile scores. (CACREP 7.b, c, d, e)

    4. Assessment/appraisal tools and methods  (CACREP 7; MFC G.1, 2; MH G.1, 2, 4; SC G.3; H.1, 2, 3 )

    5. Introduction to a variety of formal and informal assessment/appraisal tools and techniques including: observations, behavioral assessments, interviews, inventories, rating scales, self-report inventories, measures of cognitive ability, personality measures, projective assessment, and measures of academic achievement, psychosocial functioning, adaptive behavior, and family and other environmental systems. (CACREP 7; MFC G.1, 2; MH G.1, 2, 4; MH K.4; SC G.3)

    6. Ethical/legal issues regarding assessment in counseling, specifically, addictions counseling (CACREP 7.g)

    8. Best practices in multicultural assessment related to minority and culturally diverse populations (CACREP 7.f)

    9. The role of assessment in case conceptualization, clinical diagnosis and treatment planning in addictions. (CACREP 7; MFC G.1, 2; MH G.1, 2, 4; SC G.3 )

    10. General knowledge of threat assessment, including threats towards self and others. (CACREP 7, MFC A.7, MH A.9, SC A.6)

    11. Report-writing skills that link addictions assessment results to meaningful implications, recommendations, intervention and/or treatment plans. (CACREP 7; MFC H.1; SC H3)

    12. Consultation/collaboration with consumers and other professionals in disseminating assessment results.

This course will be delivered in 4 modules (module 1 is approximately a week and a half in length and modules 2-4 are two weeks in length) over a course of eight weeks. The online format will include uploaded interactive newsletters at the beginning of each module. The structure of the course will require you to actively engage in course content, answer weekly discussion questions much like you would be expected to during an on-site class, submit mini assignments, and complete module quizzes. This course is approximately 8 weeks long and is conducted in 4 modules. The first module is approximately one week in length; the other 3 modules are two weeks in length.

This course is taught online. Course participants login and participate at a time of day that is convenient for them. It is recommended that participants login at least 4 to 5 times per week and plan on spending 16 to 18 hours per week (combination online and offline) for 7.5 weeks to successfully complete this 3-credit course.  If you are unfamiliar with this field of study and/or method of delivery, you may require more time.
Restricted to Montana State University students in the Addiction Counseling Certificate  and Health Sciences Programs.  If you are a Non-Degree seeking graduate student wishing to enroll in this class, please contact Dr. Katey Franklin.
1. 

Assessment in Counseling: Procedures and Practices

Format: Hardcover; Paperback; e-book

Hays D. (2017). Assessment in counseling: Procedures and Practices. American Counseling Association. Alexandria, VA.


ISBN-13 #: 978-1556203183

2.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Format: Hardcover; Paperback

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th edition). Washington, DC: Author.

ISBN-13 #: 978-0890425558