Making Level of Care Recommendations & Writing Clinical Justifications Using the ASAM Criteria 3rd, Edition
The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Criteria 3rd. Ed., provides admission, continued stay and discharge criteria used to guide and justify clinical decisions regarding the Levels of Care, Services and Interventions clients receive. Research on the evidence-based practice of making level of care recommendations, a.k.a. patient placement decisions, and matching clients to treatment indicates that mismatching clients to treatment, either under treating or over treating has been demonstrated to decrease a client’s successful engagement of treatment (Magura, et. al., 2002), and lead to poorer treatment outcomes (Magura et. al., 2002; McKay et. al., 2000). It is imperative that assessors and case managers learn how to make informed and accurate clinical decisions using the criteria, and be able to write clear, concise and clinically defensible justifications for their decisions.
Many workshops provide a broad overview of the criteria and how it is used. While participants generally understand the concepts, many are not equipped to use the criteria correctly upon returning to the workplace, and even less are equipped to write clinical justifications for the decisions and recommendations made, which are often required by Medicaid and Private Insurers. To utilize the criteria correctly staff must understand 1.) the Continuum of Care, 2.) ASAM’s Six Dimensions, 3.) Dimension Risk Ratings, 4.) the Criteria, and 5.) how all these components collectively inform clinical decision making and treatment planning.
Blended Learning
This blended learning workshop leverages the advantages of both onsite and online learning, while incorporating evidence based adult learning principles, practices and interventions designed to enhance learning, and support the transfer and maintenance of learning back in the workplace.
The blended learning workshop provides participants with the knowledge, skills and support to utilize the criteria correctly and make more informed and accurate clinical decisions. In addition, participants will learn how to write clinical justifications to substantiate their recommendations to Medicaid and Private Insurers. The onsite workshop, and the online e-Course incorporate evidence based adult learning principles, practices and interventions designed to enhance learning, and support the transfer and maintenance of learning back in the workplace.
Evidence Based – Proven Effective – Designed For Transfer