CADC Treatment Planning and Referral 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client in early recovery expresses ambivalence about inpatient treatment but agrees to try outpatient services. What is the counselor's best response?
- Insist on inpatient placement because it is clinically indicated
- Dismiss the client's concerns and proceed with the recommended level of care
- Honor the client's choice and develop an outpatient plan while continuing to reassess placement needs (Correct answer)
- Discharge the client for non-compliance with the recommended treatment
Correct answer: Honor the client's choice and develop an outpatient plan while continuing to reassess placement needs
Respecting client autonomy while monitoring safety and reassessing placement needs supports engagement and therapeutic alliance.
Question 2: Which ASAM dimension focuses on a client's readiness to change and potential to engage in treatment?
- Dimension 1: Acute Intoxication and/or Withdrawal Potential
- Dimension 4: Readiness to Change (Correct answer)
- Dimension 5: Relapse, Continued Use, or Continued Problem Potential
- Dimension 6: Recovery/Living Environment
Correct answer: Dimension 4: Readiness to Change
ASAM Dimension 4 specifically assesses a client's motivation, readiness, and willingness to engage in treatment.
Question 3: A counselor refers a client to a community support group as part of the treatment plan. What should be documented in the referral?
- Only the group name, as no further documentation is required
- The rationale for the referral, the specific resource, and the client's consent (Correct answer)
- A waiver releasing the agency from responsibility for the client's attendance
- Nothing, since community support groups are not clinical referrals
Correct answer: The rationale for the referral, the specific resource, and the client's consent
Referral documentation should include the reason, the specific resource, and evidence of client consent and follow-through.
Question 4: When is it most appropriate to involve a client's family members in the treatment planning process?
- Only after the client has completed 6 months of sobriety
- When clinically appropriate, client consent is obtained, and family involvement supports recovery goals (Correct answer)
- Only if the family member is also receiving substance use treatment
- Never, as family involvement violates the client's confidentiality
Correct answer: When clinically appropriate, client consent is obtained, and family involvement supports recovery goals
Family involvement can support recovery when it is clinically indicated, the client consents, and the family is part of the client's support system.
Question 5: A client's treatment plan includes the objective: 'Client will maintain sobriety for 30 days.' What is a key limitation of this objective?
- It is too specific to be useful in a treatment plan
- It focuses on outcome only and does not include actionable steps the client will take (Correct answer)
- It is not measurable because sobriety cannot be verified
- It is too short a time frame to be clinically meaningful
Correct answer: It focuses on outcome only and does not include actionable steps the client will take
Effective objectives should include both the desired outcome and specific behaviors or actions the client will take to achieve it.
Question 6: A counselor is preparing a referral for a client who is experiencing domestic violence. What is the FIRST priority?
- Complete the referral paperwork before discussing safety concerns
- Assess the client's immediate safety and connect them to domestic violence resources (Correct answer)
- Inform the client's family members about the situation
- Continue substance use treatment and address domestic violence at a later date
Correct answer: Assess the client's immediate safety and connect them to domestic violence resources
Client safety is always the first priority; immediate safety planning and connection to appropriate resources must precede other treatment activities.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of a short-term treatment goal appropriate for a client newly entering residential treatment?
- Client will remain abstinent for life
- Client will establish a sustainable career within 12 months
- Client will identify three personal triggers for substance use within the first two weeks of treatment (Correct answer)
- Client will complete a 4-year degree in a recovery-supportive field
Correct answer: Client will identify three personal triggers for substance use within the first two weeks of treatment
Short-term goals should be achievable within the current treatment phase and directly relevant to immediate recovery needs.
CADC Treatment Planning and Referral 3
A client in early recovery expresses ambivalence about inpatient treatment but agrees to try outpatient services.
What is the counselor's best response?