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The American Society of Addiction Medicine has created and prescribed a continuum of care for which people who are living with addiction are to adhere (What are the ASAM Levels of Care? 2020). According to an introductory pamphlet produced by the ASAM, the goal for every patient is to provide them with the “least intensive, but safe level of care.” (The American Society of Addiction, 2015) After an initial assessment, the client will be recommended an intensive schedule of ASAM classes. The first level of this care is the ASAM Level 1 Class. This is an outpatient class offered to adults and adolescents.

At American alternative court service, ASAM Level 1 Classes “provide individuals with a supportive and instructive environment where they are encouraged to develop deeper insights into the causes and conditions, as well as the effects of their addictive and abusive behaviors. It is important for such classes that the group facilitator meet the patients where they are at, and accept them as whole people. The ASAM Level 1 Class is an opportunity for patients to engage in healthy processing of their life experiences and personal coping mechanisms. Patients are also encouraged to reflect on the ways their actions might impact friends and family members in their lives.

The ASAM Level 1 Class is often mandated for people who have been convicted of drug or alcohol charges. It is for this reason that facilitators do not only focus on addiction issues, but also the “underlying psychological issues which might lead patients to pursue addictive avenues to cope with life stressors.  This ASAM Level 1 Class is an opportunity for people to reflect deeply about their lives and opportunities for future growth. American alternative court service provides a brave space in which clients have the opportunity to develop insights into personal growth and move forward into a thriving life.

Most people who have been charged with a DUI have to obtain a DUI clinical evaluation. The DUI clinical evaluation is designed to determine if further treatment is necessary as the next step in your individual situation. Most individuals are nervous to have a DUI clinical evaluation done because of the unknown about what will take place and their anxiousness about having treatment recommended as the next step. However, treatment is not for everyone.

The clinician conducting the DUI clinical evaluations will work with you and give their professional opinion about what is ideal to help you. They will ask questions to find out more basic information about you and your personal situation. Most of the conversation and evaluation will be about background, family life, and drinking habits. The next step in your plan, will then be decided and recommended for you.

Alcohol and Drug Evaluations are very common; however, they bring up questions and fear for most individuals. Alcohol and Drug Evaluations can be scary when one does not know what to expect or how they will go. The main focus of an alcohol and drug evaluation is to determine if there is a problem and how intervention may or may not be an option for you, individually.

The person giving the alcohol and drug evaluation goes into it with an open non-biased opinion and asks questions to find out more about you. Most of the questions at the beginning will be standard questions to gain a better grasp of your personal situation and who you are as a person. Then the questions will turn into more about your alcohol and/or drug use history and the effects of those on your life. After the alcohol and drug evaluation, the two of you will then work together on the next steps in your life and what will work best for you.

The Keys to Differentiating Burnout and Depression The issue of physician burnout has gained considerable attention in recent years, as research continues to map its underlying causes and resulting impact. Yet even as we begin to understand more about this crisis in our profession, we still stumble when it comes to differentiating burnout from depression.

The fact that burnout and depression are often conflated is understandable, given the conceptual overlap that exists between them. Someone can have milder forms of the word-association reaction that is burnout without having the medical condition of clinical depression. Differentiating between the two requires the use of appropriate terminology for both work and clinical settings that is acceptable to stakeholders and effective in making needed assessments and interventions.

It has been proposed that burnout is a depressive disorder in the work setting,^[1] but this phraseology confounds decades of research on major depression’s effect on productivity, absenteeism, and presenteeism in the workplace, which made no attribution of cause.

Those suffering from substance use disorders are able to find help and begin a lifelong recovery with substance abuse Counseling. The road of addiction can be lonely but the path to rehabilitation is led by experts who understand the science and keep in mind individual circumstances of each unique case.

To seek help is to become proactive towards a healthier mind and body. Whether a substance abuse Counseling is required by a court in order to appease a criminal offense, the same Counseling is utilized and provides a safe and structured intervention.

When committing to Counseling, the support and knowledge of dedicated professionals can be imperative to maintaining a life without drugs or alcohol. The compassion experienced and the camaraderie that develops whilst participating in substance abuse Counseling programs have become pillars of rehabilitation and are a common yet achievable step in preventing harmful recurrences with destructive substances and behaviors.

The oftentimes compulsive act of theft can stem from feelings of anger, grief, and entitlement, and may become addictive. Understanding the emotional motivators can direct the offender to reflect on personal assessment with the help of a professional. Whatever the classification of the offense, shoplifting and theft prevention classes approach the rehabilitation with sensitivity and expertise.

As a plea or probation requirement, shoplifting and theft prevention education may be mandated. Strategies for relapse prevention are imperative to assist an individual from re-offending and needed to end an oppressive cycle of troubles. Covering topics such as managing stress and anxiety, the impact of theft on society, and consequences can enlighten the offender and provide specified resources for alleviating unhealthy behaviors. Shoplifting and theft prevention is an opportunity to begin a more controlled and healthier life.

In order to be eligible for returning to a DOT regulated job after a violation has been determined, an SAP evaluation must be performed. The substance abuse professional in the SAP evaluation for the Department of Transportation is responsible for establishing the extent of the infraction and recommending action compliant with regulations of the U.S. DOT. When followed responsibly, guidance from a qualified SAP evaluation for the Department of Transportation enables the opportunity for reentry into a current or future job. An employer of a safety-sensitive function relies on the results from the SAP evaluation to decide on the hiring status of the individual.

It is worth noting that once an evaluation process has begun with an SAP, services must be completed in entirety, and failure to do so would result in further violation of the Department of Transportation. The cost of an SAP evaluation is dependent on the employer’s policies. The return-to-duty process is determined by the results of the SAP evaluation, therefore critical to maintain employment and refrain from civil penalties.

Domestic violence in the US is a growing epidemic. The understanding of a perpetrator’s own behavioral impacts is critical to the programs which address needed interventions.

A court-approved family violence intervention program focuses on reducing recidivism and lessening harm for victims, while strengthening personal values, ultimately rehabilitating important relationships. The standards of participation are determined by the state and monitored for compliance and completion. Violence in intimate partners and family members, including physical, emotional, sexual, and economic abuse is treated as a learned behavior in which educational services such as family violence intervention programs address.

Teaching accountability and prioritizing the safety of victims to court-mandated or self-referred participants, is the structured support model of family violence intervention programs, ending cycles of family violence.

Anger management aids with the coping of challenging behaviors in a healthy and productive manner. The skills taught range in methods but all with the intention of controlling physiological

responses to triggers, personal and social interactions and self-accountability. Directing emotions and controlling reactions is used in managing levels of stress and temperament in order to promote a healthier mind and healthier relationships. An anger management program is also conducted as a personal and confidential service to satisfy court-ordered requirements and amend pending legalities. This specialized support may be deemed necessary for individuals who are charged with specific crimes, such as assault. After a specified amount of anger management classes, a certificate of completion serves as an official compliance. Beyond appeasing legal orders, an individual concerned about or interested in improving emotion regulation may greatly benefit from anger management.