CBHCM Assessment and Planning 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A case manager is assessing a recently released incarcerated client. Which factor should receive PRIORITY attention in the initial assessment?
- Employment history prior to incarceration
- Housing stability and immediate basic needs (Correct answer)
- Educational level and vocational interests
- History of family conflict
Correct answer: Housing stability and immediate basic needs
Newly released individuals face high risk of harm without stable housing; addressing immediate basic needs is a foundational priority before other planning.
Question 2: The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) is used in assessment to:
- Screen for substance use disorders
- Stratify suicide ideation and behavior by severity (Correct answer)
- Diagnose depressive disorders
- Measure functional impairment from psychosis
Correct answer: Stratify suicide ideation and behavior by severity
The C-SSRS systematically rates the intensity and nature of suicidal ideation and behavior to guide clinical risk stratification.
Question 3: When assessing trauma history, a case manager should FIRST:
- Require the client to provide a detailed narrative of all traumatic events
- Administer the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) questionnaire without explanation
- Obtain informed consent and explain the purpose of trauma screening (Correct answer)
- Refer the client to a psychiatrist before conducting any trauma inquiry
Correct answer: Obtain informed consent and explain the purpose of trauma screening
Ethical and trauma-informed practice requires obtaining informed consent and explaining the rationale for trauma screening before proceeding.
Question 4: A client with co-occurring major depression and alcohol use disorder presents for assessment. The case manager should plan to:
- Treat the depression first and address alcohol use after remission
- Address only the primary diagnosis as identified by the psychiatrist
- Conduct an integrated assessment addressing both conditions simultaneously (Correct answer)
- Refer to separate programs for mental health and substance use treatment
Correct answer: Conduct an integrated assessment addressing both conditions simultaneously
Integrated assessment and treatment of co-occurring disorders produces better outcomes than sequential or parallel approaches.
Question 5: In a person-centered care plan, SMART goals are used because they:
- Follow a standardized format required by all insurance payers
- Ensure goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (Correct answer)
- Limit the number of goals a client can pursue at one time
- Replace the need for ongoing assessment and monitoring
Correct answer: Ensure goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound
SMART goals provide a structured framework ensuring care plan objectives are concrete, trackable, realistic, meaningful to the client, and time-limited.
Question 6: A case manager reviews a client's previous psychiatric records and notices inconsistencies with the client's self-report. The MOST appropriate response is to:
- Disregard the records and rely solely on self-report
- Confront the client about the discrepancies immediately
- Incorporate both sources and explore the differences with the client collaboratively (Correct answer)
- Alert the treatment team that the client is being dishonest
Correct answer: Incorporate both sources and explore the differences with the client collaboratively
Discrepancies between records and self-report can reflect symptom variation, memory issues, or different contexts; exploring them collaboratively yields the most accurate picture.
Question 7: Which of the following BEST describes a 'Level of Care' determination in behavioral health assessment?
- A legal judgment about a client's competency to make decisions
- Matching the intensity of services to the client's clinical needs and support system (Correct answer)
- Assigning a DSM-5 diagnosis based on symptom criteria
- Determining a client's eligibility for federal disability benefits
Correct answer: Matching the intensity of services to the client's clinical needs and support system
Level of care determination matches the appropriate service intensity (e.g., outpatient, IOP, inpatient) to the client's clinical acuity and available support.
CBHCM Assessment and Planning 3
A case manager is assessing a recently released incarcerated client.
Which factor should receive PRIORITY attention in the initial assessment?