Presents information on identifying, screening, and assessing adolescents who use substances. This report focuses on the most current procedures and instruments for detecting substance abuse among adolescents, conducting comprehensive assessments, and beginning treatment planning. Presents appropriate strategies and guidelines for screening and assessment. Explains legal issues concerning Federal and State confidentiality laws. Provides guidance for screening and assessing adolescents in juvenile justice settings. Summarizes instruments to screen and assess adolescents for substance and general functioning domains.

reatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs) are developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Each TIP involves the development of topic-specific best-practice guidelines for the prevention and treatment of substance use and mental disorders. TIPs draw on the experience and knowledge of clinical, research, and administrative experts of various forms of treatment and prevention. TIPs are distributed to facilities and individuals across the country.

The Benchbook for Family Courts on Substance Use Disorders, Second Edition, is an important reference work that provides every family court professional with valuable information to guide decision-making in family law cases. Substance use disorders (SUDs) are some of the most critical and pervasive public health problems of our time. A traditional family law decision-making process issues a judgment on legal issues, but often courts do not account for the nonlegal issue of addiction, which may be a root cause of a family’s legal problems. Judges, attorneys, court staff, and other professionals working with families may not have a complete and current understanding of SUDs, their causes, the symptoms and available treatments. Without that understanding, both the families and the court system are destined to a revolving door of repeat court appearances and unresolved family crises. The Benchbook is an essential reading and reference book that provides valuable insights into the science of addiction, the treatment of SUDs, how SUDs affect children and families in many family law cases, and how family courts can intervene in ways that lead to better outcomes. The good news is that with a recognized neurobiological basis for substance use disorders, there is potential for recovery. Evidence-based interventions can prevent harmful substance use and related problems, and the courts have considerable power to influence individuals suffering from these disorders