Assessing people with alcohol problems

  Special needs of people with alcohol problems

The first thing to note is that all the community care regulations and recommended good practice should be applied equally to assessment and care management of problem drinkers. People with alcohol problems may require special arrangements because they:

• Have complex needs
• Avoid contact with statutory services
• May need to be provided with services several times before they succeed in controlling their drinking
• Sometimes behave unpredictably and may not fit easily into assessment and care management systems designed to meet the needs of other client groups
• Can represent a higher than average risk (suicide for example)
• Require prompt action to take advantage of motivation to seek help as this fluctuates.

Making a proper assessment of an individual’s alcohol problem can be difficult and time consuming. Depending on the state of the person presenting for assessment, it may be difficult for them to give correct information. People with alcohol problems commonly understate the level of their drinking and the full extent of their difficulties. The full picture often only becomes apparent during the early stages of treatment and rehabilitation. Another problem is that this client group can be particularly worried about contact with statutory bodies. People with children for example may have particular fears.

Though it can be relatively obvious if immediate intervention is required, the assessor needs to bear in mind that whilst some problem drinkers repeatedly present in ‘crisis’, others may be approaching help for the first time and can often understate their situation and needs. Women, for example, often manage to keep house and home together despite a severe alcohol problem and the immediate need for action may be less obvious compared to, say, someone who is also homeless. Because of the reluctance people with alcohol problems often show in recognising that they need help, it is essential that serious consideration is given quickly to the needs of clients when they do present. It is therefore important to obtain as broad a picture as possible of the extent of the alcohol problem and the circumstances of the individual.