On this page
- What is a substance use evaluation?
- Your report decides somebody’s next chapter
- From first interview to final recommendation
- What sections go in a substance use evaluation report?
- 11 chapters, 118 pages
- Who should read this guide?
- Tools you can use tomorrow
- Dr. Derek Collins
- At a glance
- Substance Use Evaluation FAQ
- Write the evaluation you’d want a judge to read
NACATP Professional Guide
A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners, by Derek Collins, PhD, CADC-II, MATS, SAP · Foreword by Aaron L. Norton, PhD
Write substance use evaluations that are clinically sound and hold up in court. This step-by-step guide takes you from the first interview to the final recommendation, with DSM-5-TR, ASAM Criteria (4th Edition), standardized screening tools, and three full sample reports with the reasoning behind every decision.
- DSM-5-TR
- ASAM Criteria, 4th Ed.
- AUDIT · MAST · DAST · SASSI-4
- 3 full sample reports
- 118 pages
Order the Guide See the report format
$97 · Physical book · Published by the National Association of Court Approved Treatment Providers (NACATP)
Sample reports inside
What is a substance use evaluation?
A substance use evaluation is a biopsychosocial assessment. The evaluator looks at a person’s biological, psychological, and social history to decide whether they meet DSM-5-TR criteria for a substance use disorder, how severe it is, and what level of care they need under the ASAM Criteria.
A solid evaluation draws on four sources of data: a clinical interview, standardized tests and measures (such as the AUDIT, MAST, DAST, or SASSI-4), collateral interviews, and a review of records. It ends in a written report with a diagnosis, risk assessment, and individualized treatment recommendations.
Why this guide exists
Your report decides somebody’s next chapter
The evaluations you write carry real weight. Your recommendation can decide whether someone goes to jail or into treatment, keeps their job or loses it, or keeps their kids at home or sees them go into foster care.
That’s why a quick “How much do you drink?” doesn’t cut it. Two people can drink the same bottle of wine every night and need completely different care:
Person AAge 45, drinking heavily since a divorce two years ago. Stable job, insurance, supportive friends. May do well in intensive outpatient treatment.
Person BAge 28, drinking since 12, both parents alcoholic, history of homelessness, hepatitis C. May need residential care, medical care, and housing support.
Same diagnosis, different lives, different level of care. This guide teaches you to see the difference and write it down so a judge, probation officer, or treatment provider can act on it.
“For years, I have longed for a practical, authoritative ‘how-to’ guide that I could confidently recommend to students, counselors-in-training, and forensic evaluators. Thanks to Dr. Collins and NACATP, that guide has finally arrived.”
Aaron L. Norton, PhD, LMHC, LMFT, MAC, SAP, CFMHE Executive Director, National Board of Forensic Evaluators, Inc. (from the Foreword)
What you’ll learn
From first interview to final recommendation
Every chapter builds on the one before it, written in plain language for beginners and developing evaluators.
Run the clinical interview
Concrete interview questions for the biological, psychological, and social history, plus how to handle defensive clients.
Apply DSM-5-TR criteria
The 11 criteria for substance use disorder explained simply, with severity specifiers and how to apply them in practice.
Choose the right screening tools
When to use the AUDIT, MAST, DAST, or SASSI-4, and how drug testing fits into the picture.
Match the level of care
Use the six ASAM dimensions and the four levels of care (4th Edition) to recommend the right level of care, with guidance on the common decision points.
Spot deception and withdrawal
Detect minimizing and manipulation, and recognize the physical signs of alcohol, opioid, benzodiazepine, stimulant, and cannabis withdrawal.
Write a defensible report
A standard 15-section report format, professional writing tips, and clinical impressions that hold up under review.
- DSM-5-TRDiagnosis
- ASAM 4th Ed.Level of care
- AUDITAlcohol screening
- MASTAlcohol screening
- DASTDrug screening
- SASSI-4Subtle screening
The report format
What sections go in a substance use evaluation report?
Chapter 9 teaches the standard case presentation structure, so any reader can find what they need fast. A professional substance use evaluation includes these 15 sections:
- Identifying Information & Referral Source
- Presenting Problem & Reason for Evaluation
- Substance Use History
- Biopsychosocial History
- Mental Status Examination
- Assessment Results (Standardized Tools)
- Collateral Information
- Clinical Observations
- DSM-5-TR Diagnosis
- Risk Assessment
- Strengths & Resources
- Treatment Recommendations
- Prognosis
- Evaluator’s Name & Credentials
- Evaluator’s Signature
The guide walks through every section with what to include and a written example, then shows all 15 sections working together in three complete sample evaluations.
Inside the book
11 chapters, 118 pages
- Ch. 1Introduction to Substance Use EvaluationsWhat an evaluation is, who needs one, and your role as the evaluator.
- Ch. 2Understanding the Biopsychosocial ModelThe three pillars of assessment, and how they fit together.
- Ch. 3Diagnostic Standards for Substance Use DisordersThe 11 criteria explained simply, specifiers, and applying them in practice.
- Ch. 4Essential Assessment ToolsMAST, DAST, SASSI-4, AUDIT, choosing the right tool, and drug testing.
- Ch. 5Conducting the Biopsychosocial AssessmentMotivation and readiness for change, confidentiality, and mandatory reporting.
- Ch. 6ASAM Levels of CareThe ASAM treatment criteria, levels of care, and common decision points.
- Ch. 7Detecting DeceptionRecognizing deception and manipulation during the evaluation.
- Ch. 8Physical Signs & Withdrawal SymptomsAlcohol, opioid, benzodiazepine, stimulant, and cannabis withdrawal, plus emerging issues.
- Ch. 9Case Presentation Format & Professional WritingKnowing your audience, the standard report structure, and writing tips.
- Ch. 10Sample Evaluations with Detailed JustificationsMild alcohol use disorder, severe opioid use disorder, and polysubstance use with a co-occurring disorder.
- Ch. 11Conclusions & Next StepsWhere to go from here as a developing evaluator.
Who it’s for
Who should read this guide?
- Counselors, social workers, and psychologists new to evaluations
- Clinicians serving court-involved and high-risk clients
- Providers taking probation and diversion referrals
- DUI and clinical assessment evaluators
- Child welfare evaluators
- Private practice clinicians adding evaluation services
- Supervisors training new evaluators
What’s included
Tools you can use tomorrow
- Concrete interview questions for every part of the assessment
- Sample biopsychosocial assessments
- Level of care guidance using the ASAM Criteria, 4th Edition
- Examples of interpreting clinical information
- A 15-section report structure with written examples
- Three full sample reports with detailed rationales
- A full reference list
DC
About the author
Dr. Derek Collins
- PhD
- CADC-II
- MATS
- SAP
Dr. Collins is the founder of the National Association of Court Approved Treatment Providers (NACATP) and CEO of Diversion Center. Diversion Center is a court-approved, DBHDD-approved outpatient facility in metro Atlanta that provides substance use evaluations, DUI and clinical assessments, DOT SAP evaluations, and anger management. He has spent more than 15 years running court-mandated programs and has trained clinicians across the country to build court-mandated programs, curricula, and evaluation protocols.
Contributor and foreword: Aaron L. Norton, PhD, LMHC, LMFT, MAC, SAP, CFMHE, Executive Director of the National Board of Forensic Evaluators, Inc., who brings more than 20 years as a counselor educator, clinical supervisor, researcher, and forensic evaluator.
Book details
At a glance
| Title | How to Write a Substance Use Evaluation: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners |
| Author | Derek Collins, PhD, CADC-II, MATS, SAP |
| Contributor | Aaron L. Norton, PhD, LMHC, LMFT, MAC, SAP, CFMHE |
| Publisher | National Association of Court Approved Treatment Providers (NACATP), 2026 |
| Format | Physical book, 118 pages |
| Standards covered | DSM-5-TR, ASAM Criteria (4th Ed.), AUDIT, MAST, DAST, SASSI-4 |
| Price | $97 |
| Order | privatelabelworkbook.com · Bulk and agency orders: 404-503-8069 |
Common questions
Substance Use Evaluation FAQ
Gather information from four sources: a clinical interview, standardized screening tools, collateral interviews, and a records review. Assess the person’s biological, psychological, and social history. Apply the DSM-5-TR criteria to decide whether a substance use disorder is present and how severe it is. Use the ASAM Criteria to recommend a level of care. Then write it up in a standard report format that ends with a diagnosis, risk assessment, treatment recommendations, and prognosis.
A professional report typically includes: identifying information and referral source; presenting problem; substance use history; biopsychosocial history; mental status examination; standardized assessment results; collateral information; clinical observations; DSM-5-TR diagnosis; risk assessment; strengths and resources; treatment recommendations; prognosis; and the evaluator’s name, credentials, and signature.
A biopsychosocial assessment looks at the whole person. Bio covers the body, genetics, and medical history. Psycho covers thoughts, feelings, and mental health. Social covers relationships, work, family, legal history, and living situation. It is the foundation of a modern substance use evaluation.
Common standardized tools include the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test), the MAST (Michigan Alcohol Screening Test), the DAST (Drug Abuse Screening Test), and the SASSI-4 (Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory). Drug testing may also be used. The guide explains when each tool fits. Each tool must be administered according to its official guidelines and training requirements.
DSM-5-TR lists 11 criteria for substance use disorder. Severity is based on how many are met: 2–3 is mild, 4–5 is moderate, and 6 or more is severe. Chapter 3 of the guide explains each criterion in plain language.
The ASAM Criteria, 4th Edition organize care into four primary levels, each with sublevels: Level 1 is outpatient, Level 2 is intensive or high-intensity outpatient, Level 3 is residential, and Level 4 is medically managed inpatient treatment. Evaluators assess six ASAM dimensions to match a person to the right level. Early intervention is still important, but in the 4th Edition it is no longer counted as a level of care. Chapter 6 covers each level and the most common decision points.
It’s written for beginners and developing professionals: counselors, social workers, psychologists, and evaluators who work with court-involved or high-risk clients, including DUI, probation, diversion, and child welfare referrals, as well as private practice clinicians.
No. The guide is an educational resource that supports training and clinical supervision. It is not a substitute for formal education, licensure, or certification. Who may perform court-ordered or forensic evaluations is set by the laws and licensing rules in your state.
Yes. Chapter 10 includes three complete sample evaluations with detailed justifications: a mild alcohol use disorder, a severe opioid use disorder, and polysubstance use with a co-occurring disorder.
The physical book is available for $97 at privatelabelworkbook.com. For bulk, agency, or training program orders, call Diversion Center at 404-503-8069 or email info@thediversioncenter.com.
Get the guide
Write the evaluation you’d want a judge to read
Clear, thorough, and defensible, with the sample reports to show you exactly how it’s done.
$97Physical book · 118 pages
Bulk or agency orders: 404-503-8069 · info@thediversioncenter.com
For educational purposes only; use with appropriate clinical supervision, training, and organizational policy. Not a substitute for formal education, licensure, or certification. The AUDIT, MAST, DAST, SASSI-4, DSM-5-TR, and ASAM Criteria belong to their respective owners and require formal training. This work is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the World Health Organization, or the SASSI Institute.
Last updated: September 27, 2026 · Diversion Center · thediversioncenter.com
