Criteria for Outpatient treatment (Adults)

An adult patient qualifies for outpatient treatment if he or she meets the diagnostic criteria for Psychoactive Substance Use Disorder as defined by the current DSM and if the patient meets all six of the following criteria:

A. Patient is not acutely intoxicated and is at minimal risk of suffering severe withdrawal symptoms.

B. All medical conditions are stable and do not require inpatient management.

C. All of the following:
1. The individual's anxiety, guilt, and/or depression, if present, appear to be related to substance-related problems rather than to a coexisting psychiatric/emotional/behavioral condition. If the patient had psychiatric/emotional/behavioral problems other than those caused by substance use, the problems are being treated by an appropriate mental health professional.
2. Mental status does not preclude the patient from comprehending and understanding the program or participating in the treatment process.
3. Patient is not at risk to harming self or others.

D. Both of the following:
1. Patient expresses a willingness to cooperate with the program and attend all scheduled activities.
2. The patient may admit that he or she has a problem with alcohol or drugs, but the patient requires monitoring and motivating strategies. The patient does not need a more structured program.
E. Patient can remain abstinent only with support and can do so between appointments.

F. One of the following:
1. Environment is sufficiently supportive to make outpatient treatment feasible. Family or significant others are supportive of recovery.
2. The patient does not have the ideal support system in his or her current environment but the patient is willing to obtain such support.
3. Family or significant others are supportive but they need professional interventions to improve chances of success.

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Robert R. Perkinson, PHD
Helping Your Clients Find the Road to Recovery

Alcoholism - Treatment. I. Title.
RC565.P375 - 2004
616.86'10651- dc22