What Are the ASAM Criteria?

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When drug addicts are admitted into professional drug or alcohol rehabilitation, how do providers know how to design an effective program for their recovery? This is an excellent question, since if you are looking for help with your addiction or for a loved one, you want to make sure that your provider is not just guessing about how to treat you. Over the years, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), the leading professional association of those who treat addiction, has developed a list of criteria that addiction providers use in order to develop a program for recovery. At WhiteSands Tampa Treatment Center, we look to the ASAM criteria every time we develop a customized recovery plan for one of our patients.

Criteria for Developing a Recovery Program

The ASAM criteria have six dimensions that are examined to help us develop and fine-tune an individualized plan for each of our clients. These include:

  • Potential for Acute Intoxication and Withdrawal (Dimension 1): We look at the history of the addict’s encounters with drug and alcohol and evaluate what their withdrawal symptoms are likely to look like as well as other factors that will impact the initial phase of treatment.
  • Medical Complications and Conditions (Dimension 2): We consider other illnesses and conditions that the addict has that will have an impact on their addiction and the steps necessary to beat the addiction without aggravating existing conditions.
  • Psychological Complications and Conditions (Dimension 3): We make a cognitive, behavioral, and emotional assessment of the addict. This information is used to customize individual and group counseling so that the addict can develop skills needed to deal with stress in ways other than substance abuse. We also look at whether the patient is experiencing any mental health issues that need to be addressed.
  • State of Readiness in Terms of Change (Dimension 4): Knowing that addicts cannot recover until they are truly ready to recover, we look at whether an addict is truly ready for admission into rehab.
  • Potential for Relapse (Dimension 5): The ASAM recognizes that some addicts are more prone to relapse than others and that the way you treat someone with a high proclivity for relapse will be different than how you treat someone with a low relapse potential. We evaluate a patient’s history of relapses and their need for relapse prevention training.
  • Environment (Dimension 6): We look at the addict’s living conditions and personal environment, considering possible triggers they may face and what factors will need to be addressed in their aftercare plan.

Get Personalized Help Based on the ASAM Criteria

Using the ASAM criteria, our medical and counseling professionals can determine whether an addict is ready for rehab and what kind of program is best for them. Our high-quality dual-diagnosis treatment options can help a wide variety of addicts, and we can personalize a program that’s right for you. To learn more about the ASAM criteria and get a free clinical assessment, call today or fill out the form here. Our addiction care specialists will start working right away to develop the best drug or alcohol recovery program for your specific needs.