Developing CASPAR: A computer-assisted system for patient assessment and referral☆
Received 18 February 2004; received in revised form 13 January 2005; accepted 25 February 2005.
Abstract
A study was completed on the use of a computer-based system that provided counselors with resources for client referrals to free or low-cost services within the community based on problems identified with an Addiction Severity Index (ASI) assessment. That study, completed in Philadelphia, found that in comparison with clients whose counselors received a standard ASI assessment training, clients whose counselors also received brief training on the simple, easy-to-use computer-based resource guide (RG) had treatment plans that were substantially better-matched to their presenting problems and received significantly more and better-matched services. Because of these favorable results, the current article presents further data on counselor use of the RG and, to facilitate the implementation of these procedures by others, we provide access to the original RG database, describe the steps necessary to develop, and maintain an RG, and provide training suggestions.
Treatment Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, 600 Public Ledger Building, 150 South Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106-3475, USA
☆ Portions of this work have been presented at the College on Problems for Drug Dependence (2003 and 2004), a CSAT Sciences to Services Meeting (2004), at the Office of National Drug Control Policy Symposium (2002 and 2003), at a World Health Organization meeting in Egypt (2004), and in DENS-ASI trainings in Wyoming, Delaware, California, Pennsylvania, Scotland, Thailand, and Sweden.
ABSTRACT