Risk Management & Mitigation Flashcards
7 cards from real CAS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Risk Management & Mitigation flashcards as text
A client in early recovery from opioid use disorder reports that a close friend is pushing them to attend a party where alcohol will be present. Which risk mitigation strategy is most appropriate to recommend first?
Answer: Help the client develop a specific refusal script and exit plan for the event
Developing a concrete refusal script and exit plan gives the client actionable tools to navigate high-risk social situations safely.
Which factor most significantly increases the risk of relapse during the first 90 days of recovery?
Answer: Unresolved withdrawal symptoms and cue-induced cravings
Protracted withdrawal and conditioned cue reactivity are the strongest neurobiological drivers of early relapse.
A CAS counselor notices a client has begun isolating, sleeping excessively, and canceling appointments. These behaviors are BEST described as:
Answer: Warning signs of relapse in the emotional/behavioral stage
Isolation, sleep changes, and appointment avoidance are classic early-stage relapse warning signs that precede substance use.
When conducting a risk assessment for a client with a history of polysubstance use, which tool is most appropriate for measuring current severity of use and relapse risk?
Answer: Addiction Severity Index (ASI)
The ASI assesses multiple life domains affected by substance use and is validated for measuring addiction severity and treatment planning.
A client prescribed buprenorphine/naloxone admits to occasionally using benzodiazepines obtained from a friend. The PRIMARY risk the counselor must address immediately is:
Answer: Potentially fatal central nervous system depression from the combination
Combining buprenorphine with benzodiazepines significantly increases the risk of respiratory depression and death.
Which approach BEST characterizes harm reduction as a risk mitigation strategy for active substance users?
Answer: Reducing negative consequences of use without demanding immediate cessation
Harm reduction prioritizes minimizing health and social harms of substance use while meeting clients where they are in readiness to change.
A newly recovering client lives with an actively using partner. What is the counselor's MOST important risk mitigation recommendation?
Answer: Develop a written safety plan that includes contingencies for high-risk home situations
A collaborative safety plan that acknowledges the client's living situation and outlines specific response strategies is the most clinically sound first step.