This manual is a companion to ‘The ASSIST linked brief intervention for hazardous and harmful substance use: manual for use in primary care’1 and is based on ‘The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST): Guidelines for Use in Primary Care. Draft Version 1.1 for Field Testing’2 . The purpose of this manual is to introduce the ASSIST and to describe how to use it in health care settings – particularly community based primary health care settings – to identify people who are using substances, so that a brief intervention (or referral) can be provided, as appropriate. The manual will describe:
- rationale for screening and brief intervention;
- problems related to substance use;
- the development and validation of the ASSIST;
- how to use the ASSIST (administration, scoring and interpretation of scores);
- motivational interviewing tips to facilitate the process of asking about substance use;
- how to incorporate ASSIST screening in everyday practice.
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