Date
Dear New Client,
I am pleased that you have chosen to take part in a
substance abuse evaluation under my care.
Allow me to share a few things about my process of completing these
specific evaluations. Hopefully,
these statements clear up any possible confusion and clarify your understanding
of the assessment process. The
assessments work best when our expectations of the process and of each other
are crystal clear. So, please just
ask me if you have any questions at any time. Please note, I realize many of these
statements may or may not
apply to you or your situation. If
it doesn’t apply, let it slide.
- If you are being required to
obtain this assessment by a school, CRASH, the Teen Alcohol Safety Board
(TASB)/Court Diversion, your employer, or similar, please come prepared
with a clear understanding of what that entity or organization is asking
of you. Are they asking for a screening? An assessment? Some ongoing
counseling? This also
means coming prepared with any applicable, provided and required paperwork
that you may need me to complete for you. Not doing so may unnecessarily
lengthen the assessment process.
- I
take your privacy and confidentiality seriously! I will never speak with anyone
about you or even acknowledge your presence here without a fully
completed, signed, written release of information form. I will need this for each
separate pertinent person, organization or entity with whom you’d
like me to communicate (i.e.: Attorneys, CRASH, Schools, Programs,
etc). You will find a copy of
one of these forms enclosed.
Feel free to duplicate it.
Please fill it out exactly as directed on the form. I can assist you should you have
any questions about how to complete it. You may fax the signed forms to me
if time is of the essence.
- Please pay close attention and
read carefully the “Miscellaneous Service Charges”
section of your Welcome to Networks sheet
included within this packet. If
you have any questions about these charges, ask them now, before I spend
the time speaking with your attorney, writing up a report, speaking on the
telephone for a ½ hr with your school board, etc… Most brief forms can be completed
as part of our time in the session.
However, special letters, requested phone consults, extensive
reports and the like take additional time which I bill. Insurances do NOT reimburse
for the time it takes to complete these sorts of services. Please note that I always attempt
to limit such billable costs.
I understand you work hard for your money, as do I. J
- As in all the above situations,
I require a copy of the initial ticket, fine, citation, CRASH Intake Form,
write-up, etc that you were given at the time of the infraction. This information supports the findings of my evaluation.
- Do not come to me following
being served with a ticket for drinking and expect only an “Alcohol
Screening/Assessment.” A properly completed substance abuse
evaluation is a comprehensive evaluation of one’s use of all
substances, not just alcohol and their mental health. This is the process I follow. In light of this, please keep in
mind that depending upon your case, the time required for completing an
assessment may take as little as one (1) to as many as three or even four
(4) sessions (avg. # of sessions = 2)
Please call
802 651-7809 with any questions or if you can not make our scheduled
appointment. Thank you and I look
forward to meeting with you!
Sincerely,
Marc
149 Cherry Street, Burlington, VT
05401
802 863 2495 voice 802 865 0534 fax www.networksvt.org