o Comprehensive Assessment
You may have been told by your attorney, probation officer and/or a friend to complete a Rule 25. A Rule 25 and a comprehensive assessment are interchangeable verbiage; however, Rule 25 has been phased out and was previously used for state and/or county insurance coverage. What you are looking for is a comprehensive assessment.
A comprehensive assessment gathers information about a client’s substance use history, child development, legal involvement, physical and mental health, and family history. Comprehensive assessments are used to determine client’s needs and potential level of care if an active substance use disorder is diagnosed.
o Diagnostic Assessment
A diagnostic assessment is a clinical evaluation provided by a licensed professional in order to gather information to determine appropriate treatment based on the initial problem, current mental status and the diagnostic impression. These are formal assessments that are completed by assessing an individual’s mental health; often times, these assessments lead to a formal mental health diagnosis.
What To Expect From an Assessment:
o Initial paperwork and psychometric testing—self-administered tests to gather information about
past and present mental health, child and adolescent history and family history
o Face to face interview with assessor—this interview typically lasts an hour in length
o A written evaluation will be completed post interview and clients will be provided with
recommendations for further mental health treatment, if necessary.