Training on Alcohol,

Smoking, and Substance

Involvement Screening
Test
A Guide on ASSIST Tool
DDB Board Regulation No.7 of
2019
Section 5- Screening and Assessment of Person Who
Used Drugs (PWUDS) and Determination of
Appropriate Intervention
03
Client Flow
Surrenderees
Person Who Used Drugs (PWUDS)

BADAC/ Yakap Bayan Center

Certificate of No Pending
Case

SCREENING
Before the administration of standard screening tools, conduct an
intake interview, which shall give primary importance to
establishing rapport and on, determining the PWUD’s risk factors
for substance abuse disorder, and identifying other areas of risk
about their drug abuse.

Establish Rapport

Confidentiality
 Screening
Done By : any trained paramedical (Healthcare Worker,
trained rehabilitation center personnel, qualified allied
professional, board certified psychiatrist and registered
psychologist, among others, and even to a DOH Accredited
Physician
Done Where: RHU/health Center or facility, hospital, school,
workplace, community, etc.

Screen for what: risk for drug dependency

Screening Tools: ASSIST

 Person Who Used Drugs (PWUDS) WHO ARE CHILDREN
(BELOW 18 YEARS OLD) SHALL BE REFERRED TO A
LICENSED SOCIAL WORKER THAT WILL HANDLE THEM IN
ACCORDANCE WITH BOARD RESOLUTION NO. 4 SERIES
OF 2019: ADOPTING THE PROTOCOL WHEN HANDLING
CHILDREN ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN DANGEROUS
DRUGS.
 Alcohol, Smoking, and
Substance Involvement
Screening Tool
Developed by WHO
8 Questions on alcohol, tobacco, and illicit
drugs (including injection drug use)
Risk score obtained for each substance can
fall into
Low
Moderate
High

Screening results:

Low Risk for Drug Abuse and Dependence

(score of 0 to 3)
Moderate Risk for Drug Abuse and
Dependence (score of 4 to 26)
High Risk for Drug Abuse and Dependence
(score of 27 and above)
12
ASSIST- Linked Brief Intervention

Results of the screening shall be discussed with the PWUD by the trained
Health Personnel who provided the screening services.

PWUDs shall be provided with a Brief Intervention. The ASSIST-Linked Brief

Intervention can be utilized for feedback, information, and motivation to the
PWUDs.
Rationale for Brief Intervention

Studies show that Brief Interventions in primary care

settings are beneficial for alcohol and other drug-
related problems
Brief advice (5 minutes) is cost-effective
Brief Interventions outreach to individuals who need
treatment services
How is the ASSIST Brief Intervention conducted?

FEEDBACK
ADVICE
RESPONSIBILOTY
CONCERN ABOUT SCORE
GOOD THINGS ABOUT USING
NOT-SO-GOOD THINGS ABOUT USING
SUMMARISE
CONCERN ABOUT NOT-SO-GOOD THINGS
How is the ASSIST Brief Intervention conducted?
Feedback
Ask the client if they are interested in their score

_ x

"Are you interested in seeing

your score on the questionnaire
you just completed?"
ASSIST- Linked Brief Intervention
Providing personalized feedback to clients about their scores
using the ASSIST score.

_ x

Explain to the patient the definition

of moderate risk and high risk

Explain the risk associated with each

substance used.
Harms related to Increased risk for:

Hazardous Injury/ Trauma

Criminal Justice
Alcohol and Involvement
Substance Use Social Problems
Mental Health
Work
How is the ASSIST Brief Intervention conducted?
ADVICE

Give advice about how to reduce risk associated with substance use
How is the ASSIST Brief Intervention conducted?
RESPONSIBILITY
Allow patients to take ultimate responsibility for their choices

_ x

Maintaining personal control is an

important motivating factor in
achieving change
How is the ASSIST Brief Intervention conducted?
CONCERN about score
Ask the patient how concerned they are about their score.

_ x

Used open ended questions

Verbalizing concern in supportive context

leads to change in beliefs and behaviour
How is the ASSIST Brief Intervention conducted?
GOOD THINGS AND NOT-SO-GOOD THIINGS ABOUT USING
SUBSTANCE
Weighing up good things and less good
things about using the substances
_ x

What are the good things and less

good things for you about the drug?
How is the ASSIST Brief Intervention conducted?
SUMMARISE
Summarize and reflect on the client's statement about their
substance
use with an emphasis on the less good things.
_ x

“ So you like the effect of the drug, which makes

you
feel talkative and confident... but you don’t like
when you’re
taking the drug because you usually get into
arguments saying
or doing things that you regret the next day.”
How is the ASSIST Brief Intervention conducted?
CONCERN ABOUT NOT-SO-GOOD THINGS
Ask the client how concerned he is by the less good things
 SUMMARY:

Brief Intervention can help initiate change, continue

it, and accelerate it
and prevent the client from
regressing to previous behaviors
THANK YOU!