Category: Sample Interpretations

Use of The SASSI in Identifying Factors in Crime and Criminal Recidivism

Although there have been ample demonstrations of the value of rehabilitation programs for criminal offenders, it is important to recognize that recidivism in the criminal justice system remains a serious problem.

It would be an easy matter to greatly reduce the incarcerated population if one and only one factor caused people to have multiple arrests. Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a strong common element among repeat offenders. However, there are numerous other factors that can also lead to habitual legal offensives – impulse control problems, personality disorders, psychiatric disorders, cognitive impairment, chronic stress, a history of trauma, childhood and other developmental issues, peer culture, poor social skills, etc.

No single factor necessarily causes criminality, but each one can contribute to a tendency toward law violation, and they can combine to produce a high-risk profile. Because there are multiple causes of criminality, one treatment program may be of value for some repeat offenders but still does not address all the issues that need to be addressed to prevent further legal difficulties. Repeat offenders do not come from one mold. Therefore, one given course of treatment is not likely to be maximally effective for all recidivists.

Screening to Identify Risk

The challenge of early intervention is to find a means of identifying and addressing risk. A first step in reducing recidivism in the criminal justice system is to screen legal offenders to identify individuals who are at greatest risk for ongoing legal difficulties and who are likely to have an SUD to provide them with appropriate and timely treatment.

SUD is strongly related to legal problems. Using SASSI screening tools can provide information on ongoing legal problems that can be helpful in treatment planning. Since there are multiple causes of habitual offending, instruments that measure a single factor are not likely to be effective in early identification of high-risk individuals. The SASSI Correctional (COR) Scale identifies individuals with a history of legal problems. While it is unclear why the COR items identify these individuals, there are many possible factors to explore, including: impulse control, anger management, high risk-taking, not responsive to consequences of behavior, low frustration tolerance, and poor social skills.

Effective Screening

Screening is a first step; but a vital and cost-effective first step, particularly in settings that process large numbers of clients. After identifying high-risk individuals, it is important to gather information that is useful in developing a treatment plan.

Client-Appropriate Treatment

There is real value in gathering information that is directly useful in planning therapeutic interventions that will address the client’s specific needs. When screening and assessment are conducted with the intent to help the professional join the client in setting effective treatment goals and planning how to achieve them, the screening and assessment becomes a vital part of the treatment process. It is important to use tools that are accurate and provide clinically useful information.

Despite the overall effectiveness of SUD treatment and despite the demonstrated cost-effectiveness or providing treatment as part of society’s response to criminality, rehabilitative diversionary programs are not maximally effective in reducing rates or recidivism. Part of the solution lies in developing interventions that are sensitive to subgroup differences and individuals’ needs. Individuals with SUD differ from one another. They therefore respond differently to different types of treatment.

Matching treatment on the basis or the nature and degree of the client’s psychopathology and sociopathy increases the effectiveness of the treatment. While it may not be possible to fulfill all the mandates, if we wish to reduce recidivism within the criminal justice system, it is necessary to identify the individuals most at risk, determine their treatment needs, and provide treatment tailored to those needs. The SASSI screening tools can be a very helpful first step in that direction.

The SASSI as a Cost-Effective Screening Tool in Criminal Justice Programs

Working with mandated clients can be challenging. Mandates are in place with goals to reduce crime, decrease recidivism in the criminal judicial system, lower the prison population, and cut back on substance use and addiction.

These are all great goals; however, achieving them can be more difficult than proclaiming them. Professionals in the fields of health care,criminal justice. and other social services are given the charge of executing the mandates and bringing the goals to fruition.

Addiction is a serious and widespread health problem: it has a devastating impact on individuals, their significant others, and society. As a health care problem, substance use disorder (SUD) is tied to issues in criminal justice. One of the common consequences of SUD is legal difficulties.

Money, a central issue underlying all mandates, is certainly a complex issue in SUD treatment. It costs money to treat SUD, but it costs more not to treat individuals suffering from them. With so many cutbacks and rising costs, professionals have been asked to do more with less. We are asked to balance the complex and often contradictory needs of our clients, referral sources, funding agencies, boards of directors, and society.

SUD treatment is intimately tied to the criminal justice system. Many of us work directly within the criminal justice system, and many more of us serve clients who are referred by colleagues from courts and correctional programs. There is an expectation that our services will address the mandates. We are expected to rehabilitate individuals, cut back on drug abuse, reduce crime, lower jail populations, and be cost-effective. We are expected to do more, do it better, and do it all with fewer resources. One way to cut back costs is by conducting early interventions. The SASSI screening tools help address the challenge of early intervention by providing a means of identifying and addressing risk. A first step in reducing recidivism in the criminal justice system is to screen legal offenders to identify individuals who are at greatest risk for ongoing legal difficulties and who are likely to have an SUD to provide them with appropriate and timely treatment.

A Common Element in Domestic Violence: Substance Misuse

The following profile is for a 38-year-old male, “Blair,” who has been mandated to counseling following an instance of spousal abuse. First, note that the scale scores do not meet the criteria for classifying Blair as High Probability of having a substance use disorder (SUD).  However, the Face-Valid Alcohol (FVA-12) and Face-Valid Other Drugs (FVOD-13) scores are moderately elevated above the mean (50th percentile) since they are more than one standard deviation from the mean and above the 85th percentile. It is important to recognize that FVA and FVOD are not just measures of frequency and quantity of consumption. Rather, they are mostly measures indicating acknowledgement of significant negative consequences as a result of substance misuse, as well as possible loss of control and using as a coping mechanism. Thus, even moderately elevated scores that do not in and of themselves lead to classifying the person as high probability of having a SUD are often indicative of some level of substance misuse. It is important to investigate this further. We not only want to establish whether substance misuse is a current or past pattern of use, but (in the context of this client’s reason for referral) further investigation is also needed to determine more about the relationship between physical abuse and substance misuse in this client’s life.

Note that the Obvious Attributes (OAT-1) score is low, i.e. it is below T40 where less than 15% of the normative sample typically scores. This type of OAT score suggests that Blair does not acknowledge the typical negative attributes or behaviors commonly associated with substance misusers such as impulse control problems, low frustration tolerance, impatience, a tendency to hold grudges, etc. An OAT score this low suggests it is not simply that he does not perceive himself as engaging in such behaviors, but that he actively (consciously or unconsciously) distances himself from any hint that he has such tendencies. In other words, he finds it difficult to acknowledge common weaknesses, personal limitations or human foibles and certainly does not see himself as being in any way similar to those who have substance problems. Often, people who come from homes that were dominated by abuse, substance misuse, or other problems are motivated to see themselves as not being like the primary abuser in their family of origin. His very elevated FAM score (FAM-14) and to some extent his somewhat elevated SYM (SYM-5) score suggest that he may have lived in an environment affected by substance misuse.

The Subtle Attributes (SAT-2) score is also significantly below average, and this can often indicate a person who may exhibit strong feelings of hypersensitivity to what others think of him stemming from his perception that others frequently reject him and unfairly judge and criticize him. This score suggests that Blair may be highly attuned to others’ opinions and may perceive slights or criticism, even when none are intended. 

The Defensiveness score (DEF-11) is very significantly elevated. This often indicates someone who has their guard up and answers the questions by endorsing only things that may make them look more positive. This is not particularly abnormal in cases like Blair’s where there are situational factors putting him at risk of losing something important to him. Since Blair is being evaluated following an accusation that he beat his spouse, he is naturally on guard. The defensiveness could also reflect a more general tendency to avoid seeing and acknowledging any personal limitations or weaknesses and is somewhat confirmed by his very low OAT score as discussed earlier. Regardless of the cause, it is important to recognize that Blair probably approached the screening process in a defensive manner and because of this there is also a higher-than-normal possibility of a false negative and potentially a possibility that Blair minimized some of his symptoms of misuse on the more face valid scales such as the FVA, FVOD and SYM.

As mentioned earlier, Blair’s score on the Family vs. Controls (FAM-14) scale is significantly elevated. The FAM scale is composed of items that tend to identify individuals who may have been involved in a family of origin in which there was significant substance misuse. People who have high FAM scores often may obsessively focus on the needs and feelings of others. It is therefore interesting to contemplate how a high FAM score might fit as a characteristic of a perpetrator of domestic violence since spousal abusers are not generally thought of as “caretakers.” The crucial element may be the tendency of individuals who score high on the FAM scale to base their happiness and their sense of well-being on the behavior of others, leading to a need to control. Violence can be an extreme expression of a profound need to control.

Based on his SASSI scores, the Decision Rules result indicates a low probability of Blair being diagnosed as having a SUD. However, the significantly elevated DEF score cautions that there is an increased possibility of a false negative result (i.e. test-miss). His FVA and FVOD scores, while not high enough by themselves to provide a “high probability of a SUD” result, were clear indicators of acknowledged negative consequences from misuse of substances. Given the fact that many people with DEF scores as high as Blair’s often minimize some or a lot on the face valid scales to make themselves look better, there is still a possibility that Blair may suffer from a substance use disorder. Substance misuse is a common ingredient in domestic violence.

Domestic abusers often do not assume responsibility for their behavior, claiming that the victim “made me do it.” Blair’s SASSI profile corroborates and expands on this. The low SAT score suggests that Blair may have this victim mentality, and the low OAT score suggests that he is indisposed to see in himself the very tendencies that are likely to lead to spousal abuse such as low frustration tolerance, poor impulse control, anger management problems, a tendency to hold grudges, etc. The high-DEF score suggests a broader proclivity not to acknowledge personal limitations and to only endorse positives; and an extreme focus on others, as suggested by the high FAM score, could lead to an inability to deal effectively with interpersonal conflict. Ongoing comprehensive assessment should be directed toward determining more precisely the role of substance misuse in Blair’s spousal abuse. Treatment should also be directed toward helping Blair perceive and act in accord with appropriate personal boundaries. He is likely to need help in learning to accept and deal with interpersonal conflict and to assume greater responsibility for his behavior. As it stands, his extreme need to control others may lead to poor social judgment that allows him to construe violent acts as mature behavior and provides him with a rationale for excusing the inexcusable.

We hope you find this useful information regarding clinical issues. As always, the Clinical Helpline at 888-297-2774 is open to serve you Monday through Friday, 1 pm to 5 pm (EST).

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Supporting the SASSI Mission Through Story: Introducing The Addict’s Wake Film Series

As a filmmaker dedicated to exploring substance use disorder and recovery, I created The Addict’s Wake film series to deepen understanding, spark dialogue, reduce stigma, and break down the silo mentality. It’s an honor to share this work with the SASSI community, whose tools and research have helped so many professionals respond to addiction with precision and compassion.

Like SASSI’s evidence-based screening instruments, the films are designed to support professionals across treatment, education, justice, and first response systems—bringing the human stories behind the data into clear and powerful focus.

What is The Addict’s Wake Film Series?

The Addict’s Wake is a three-part documentary film series that explores the impact of substance use disorder and declining mental health from multiple angles—community, education, and first response—offering distinct tools for professionals working in treatment, prevention, and recovery support.

  1. The Feature-Length Film – The Addict’s Wake
    This award-winning documentary follows the story of Brown County, Indiana—a rural community overwhelmed by addiction—and its journey toward recovery. Through intimate interviews with individuals in active use and recovery, their families, and community leaders, the film reveals the deep-rooted effects of addiction and the resilience of those fighting back.
  2. The Educational Film
    Designed specifically for use in high schools, colleges, treatment centers, and community groups, this version featurescompletely different footage from the feature-length film. It focuses on education, prevention and the connection between mental health and addiction, offering a practical, age-appropriate resource to spark discussion and awareness among youth, families, and professionals.
  3. The Law Enforcement & First Responder Film
    Tailored for professionals on the front lines—police, EMTs, firefighters, and correctional staff—this film uses original footage to explore the toll addiction takes on public safety; while also highlighting ways law enforcement and emergency personnel can play a compassionate, constructive role in the recovery ecosystem.

How the Film Series Supports the Work of the SASSI Institute:

  1. Humanizing the Data:
    • SASSI tools uncover patterns of substance use—our films show what those patterns look like in real lives, families, and communities.
    • The personal narratives help viewers move beyond statistics to a fuller understanding of SUDs.
  2. Enhancing Training & Engagement:
    • Whether you’re training clinicians, probation officers, educators, or first responders, these films add emotional impact and real-world relevance to technical instruction.
    • When used alongside SASSI assessments, the films help professionals interpret data with greater insight and compassion.
  3. Reducing Stigma in Practice:
    • Viewers often report a shift in mindset after seeing the films, becoming more aware of the complexity and humanity behind addiction.
    • This aligns with SASSI’s mission to support treatment, not punishment, and care over judgment.
  4. Improving Communication:
    • The film series serves as an effective conversation starter with clients, families, and teams—opening the door to honest dialogue about substance use and recovery.
    • Ideal for intake sessions, classroom discussions, or community forums.
  5. Flexible Use Across Settings:
    • With tailored content for general audiences, students, and first responders, the film series can be adapted to support many of the sectors SASSI already serves—from justice systems to education and public health.

Why It Matters to SASSI Users:

By pairing SASSI’s evidence-based screening tools with The Addict’s Wake film series, professionals gain a more holistic approach to addressing substance use—one that honors both the science and the story.

To explore licensing options or learn how to integrate the films into your SASSI training, programming, or community outreach visit TheAddictsWake.com or contact Lisa at lhall@glorygirlproduction.com

Lowering Defensiveness in Clients

In our last blog we discussed a profile with defensive responding on the SASSI. In this blog, we would like to discuss strategies for handling clients who respond in this manner and the steps that might be taken to reduce defensiveness prior to administration of the SASSI.

The two factors most frequently related to defensive responding are 1) the purpose of the evaluation – i.e. to determine if there is a high probability of a substance use disorder and 2) the context or setting in which the evaluation is taking place – i.e. situational factors that may result in serious consequences for the individual such as jail time, loss of a job or loss of child custody. While there may be little that can be done to change the reason for a SASSI screening, there are a few things you can do to reduce the effect of the stigma and fear that many individuals feel in legal, EAP, or child welfare settings. Research suggests that professionals working with a client in any setting are more likely to have positive successful results with that person if they are able to develop a positive rapport with them. Specifically, you can help the client view your role as one of a helping professional who values them as an individual, recognizes and is empathetic to the difficulty they are currently facing and desires not to punish or demean them, but to assist in getting them any help they may need.

Building rapport with a client before presenting the SASSI to them can be as simple as meeting them in the lobby, smiling at them genuinely, asking about their well-being, and spending some time talking to them in a manner that you would use with anyone you were interested in getting to know better, rather than immediately “getting to the business” of the trouble that brought them there. Talking to the client in this friendly, engaging and empathetic way can be useful in helping the client to develop a higher level of trust in you, to lower their defensiveness, and to be more forthright and honest in their answers on the SASSI questionnaire. Using this procedure gives you a chance to put the client at ease and reduce any perceived threat by beginning to develop a trusting and empathic relationship. Letting clients know that you understand their pain and acknowledging how scary it must be to go through this process will also help to reduce the fear and apprehension that often leads to defensive responding.

Additionally, clinical experience has shown that clients tend to respond less defensively when told in advance that they will have a chance to talk over their answers to the questionnaire with you after they’ve finished. Letting the client know upfront that you will discuss their responses with them after they finish gives clients the message that you view them as important and value their input and perspective. One very common fear among mandated clients is that they will be mistakenly or unfairly judged by a system that doesn’t care much about their well-being. If clients know that you are someone who will not jump to conclusions and are willing to listen to their point of view, they will usually have less of a reason to feel threatened. Letting them know that the questionnaire is simply a way for you to get to know them better and to find out what problems, if any, you can help them with, as well as telling them that there are no right or wrong answers increases the likelihood that they will respond in a more open and forthright manner. It is also often useful to refer to the SASSI in terms that are not perceived as negative such as “questionnaire” rather than “test”; “survey” rather than “screening instrument.” Taking these steps will help to ensure that clients will be more open to hearing your feedback and comments when it is time to review the SASSI results.

In short, the two most effective ways to reduce the likelihood of defensive responding on the SASSI are to 1) spend some time building a positive trusting rapport with the client before ever introducing the SASSI or talking about why the client is seeing you, and 2) administer the SASSI in the context of an empathic and trusting relationship and let the clients know that they will have a chance to review the results with you.

If you would like to discuss any of your clients screening results, feel free to call the free clinical helpline at 800-726-0526, option 2.

Young Parent in Custody Evaluation: Low Probability with High DEF

The profile being discussed is for Julia, a 21-year-old single parent female, who is participating in mandated counseling following an allegation that she has been neglecting her child. The child was removed from her care and placed with family members temporarily. This counseling will play a major role in her being allowed to resume custody of her child.

There is probably no circumstance more likely to evoke feelings of defensiveness in a person than revealing the details of personal, family life, and private attitudes for others to scrutinize, particularly when other people are given the power to determine an individual’s parenting abilities and possibly remove one’s child from custody. It is no surprise then that Julia’s DEF score is elevated, given the difficult situation she is in. In reviewing Julia’s SASSI scores, she does not meet the criteria for classification as High Probability of having a substance use disorder (SUD). While elevated DEF scores, when coupled with a Low Probability result, can potentially imply an increased possibility of the SASSI missing an individual with an SUD (a false negative), an elevated DEF may also reflect serious and difficult situational factors facing Julia with custody of her child at risk.

The most striking and important feature of her profile is that most of her individual scale scores are rather “flat”, not really deviating very far from the mean (T Score of 50), which is where most average people would score. Besides the DEF scale score, only the COR score is significantly elevated. This suggests that overall she responded in a generally “average” way (answering similarly to people not in treatment for SUD). The two exceptions are DEF and COR.

Her high DEF score indicates a possible tendency to endorse only things that make her look good to others, to have her guard up so as to not reveal anything about herself that may be viewed as negative. Again, when one is being accused of child neglect and one’s child could be removed from the parent, it is quite normal for that parent to have their defenses, their guard way up and not want to show any weakness or negative traits, even though all humans have weaknesses with which they struggle. Therefore, this high level of defensiveness could be seen as entirely situational or perhaps even a personality trait. In addition, it is noted that while Julia’s DEF scale score is very high, her SAM scale score is not at all high. Prior case studies reveal to us that often when a person has a high DEF scale score and also has a high SAM score, this could be an indicator that the person’s defensiveness may be related to substance abuse. That is not the case here though. It is therefore most likely that her defensiveness is more general and situational rather than being specifically related to substance misuse.

Julia also had a very high score on the COR scale. While this score has nothing to do with the SASSI decision rules leading to a result of high or low probability of a substance use disorder, our experience with high COR scores indicates that a person with high COR scores is answering the questions on that scale very similarly to the way a person with a long history of criminal justice involvement would answer. Therefore, a person with a high COR scale score could be at greater risk of engaging in behavior that may get them arrested. Sometimes certain personality traits of the individual can be found in clients with high COR scores that may contribute to their risk of acting out and being arrested. Therefore, it is often recommended that the therapist explore for signs of low frustration tolerance, anger management problems, poor social skills, poor impulse control or being one who enjoys engaging in high risk behaviors and add these to the treatment plan to try to lower risk.

In summary: While Julia is alleged to have engaged in child neglect, there can be many reasons why a parent may engage in this behavior, with substance abuse being only one of them. As the SASSI is not designed to be a measure of a wide variety of pathologies, but is limited to the role of determining the likelihood of a substance use disorder, the results indicate that substance use disorder is not likely.

It is important to acknowledge the reality of the fear and pain underlying defensive responding on the SASSI. In order to do so, it is valuable to have a good understanding of the nature of your client’s defensiveness. There is no clear evidence in this case that defensiveness is an ongoing characterological feature or personality characteristic of Julia. Her defensiveness therefore is likely to stem from situational factors. Having said that, her high COR score indicates potential risk of engaging in behaviors that could cause her to get in trouble which may be fueled by difficulty controlling her anger and frustration and may cause her therefore to display poor judgement and act impulsively. These potential issues could indeed put her child at risk as well as herself and so should be explored carefully.

Be sure to read our next blog which will discuss tips for reducing defensiveness.

As always, feel free to call our free clinical helpline M-F 1-5 pm ET for assistance in administering, scoring, and/or interpretation of profile results at 800-726-0526 Option 1.

How Telehealth Is Expanding Access to Substance Use Screening with the SASSI

As telehealth continues to reshape the healthcare landscape, behavioral health professionals are finding new opportunities to reach clients in innovative ways. One powerful example is the integration of the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) into telehealth practices. This trusted tool for identifying individuals who may have a substance use disorder is now more accessible than ever—thanks to digital delivery.

Breaking Barriers with Telehealth and SASSI

The SASSI was designed to help clinicians detect substance use issues, even in individuals who may not acknowledge their struggles. In a telehealth setting, this becomes especially valuable. Clients can complete the inventory from the privacy of their own homes, which may reduce defensiveness and increase the accuracy of results.

But the benefits go well beyond convenience.

Key Benefits of Using SASSI Online in Telehealth

1. Increased Accessibility
Telehealth removes geographic and logistical barriers, giving clients in rural or underserved communities access to screening tools they might otherwise miss. With SASSI Online, clinicians can send a secure link, and clients can complete the assessment from anywhere with internet access.

2. Client Comfort and Honesty
The privacy of a remote setting often helps clients feel more relaxed—especially when discussing difficult topics like substance use. This comfort can lead to more genuine responses, enhancing the SASSI’s effectiveness.

3. Immediate Results for Informed Care
SASSI Online provides instant scoring and interpretation, allowing clinicians to discuss results in real time during a telehealth session. This supports faster clinical decisions and more seamless integration into treatment planning.

4. Streamlined Practice Management
Digitally administering the SASSI reduces paperwork and helps clinicians maintain more organized and efficient records. Results can be securely stored or integrated into electronic health records, improving documentation and continuity of care.

Practical Applications Across Fields

The flexibility of SASSI Online makes it a great fit for a wide range of telehealth services, including:

  • Mental Health Therapy: Screening for co-occurring substance use issues during virtual sessions.
  • Primary Care and Chronic Pain Management: Identifying patterns of misuse that may complicate treatment.
  • School Counseling: Using the Adolescent SASSI (SASSI-A3) in remote appointments to catch early signs of substance use in teens.
  • Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): Conducting screenings during remote wellness check-ins.

Tips for Telehealth Providers

To make the most of the SASSI in a remote care setting:

  • Walk clients through the process clearly—what to expect, how long it will take, and what the results mean.
  • Integrate the SASSI results into a broader conversation about mental health, support systems, and next steps.
  • Follow up with resources, referrals, or treatment recommendations tailored to the client’s needs.

Looking Ahead

Telehealth is here to stay—and tools like the SASSI are evolving alongside it. By combining clinical insight with the power of technology, providers can offer thoughtful, early intervention for substance use—without waiting for an in-person visit.

Whether you’re a therapist, nurse practitioner, school counselor, or case manager, SASSI Online makes it easier than ever to offer this critical screening tool in the digital age.

Interested in learning more about integrating the SASSI into your telehealth practice?
Visit www.sassi.com or contact our team for a demo of SASSI Online.

SASSI Supporting Community Corrections

The SASSI Institute supports community corrections by providing tools, training, and resources to help probation officers, case managers, and other professionals identify substance use issues among individuals in the criminal justice system. Our tools can enhance decision-making, reduce recidivism, and support successful rehabilitation efforts.

Key Ways the SASSI Institute Supports Community Corrections:

1. Validated Screening Tools:

  • The Adult SASSI-4 and Adolescent SASSI-A3 are effective tools for identifying substance use disorders, even in individuals who may deny or minimize their use.
  • The Correctional (COR) scale may be useful in promoting discussion of the basis of clients’ legal difficulties, if any, and behavioral patterns that prompt other types of sanctions. Discussions focused on ways to avoid future problems can be valuable for the client.

2. Efficient Assessment Process:

  • SASSI tools are quick and easy to administer, typically taking 15 minutes to complete, which minimizes disruption to case management workflows.
  • Scoring can be completed manually or through online software, allowing for rapid scoring, interpretation and integration into case plans.

3. Objective Decision-Making:

  • The SASSI provides objective scoring to support probation and parole decisions and help in identifying high-risk behaviors.
  • Can help in determining appropriate levels of intervention based on the likelihood of substance use disorders and scale scores.

4. Treatment Matching and Referral:

  • The SASSI can offer insights into individuals’ substance use patterns and behaviors, aiding in referrals to suitable treatment programs.

5. Training for Community Corrections Professionals:

  • The SASSI Institute provides workshops to train professionals in using SASSI tools effectively.
  • Training ensures probation officers and case managers can confidently interpret results and apply them in their work.

6. Reducing Recidivism:

  • By identifying substance use issues early, SASSI tools help community corrections professionals intervene before substance use leads to further criminal behavior.
  • The SASSI can supports rehabilitation efforts by addressing substance use as a contributing factor to criminal activity.

7. Resources for Special Populations:

  • Offers tools and guidance for working with diverse populations, including adolescents, monolingual Spanish speakers and IAmerican Sign Language.

8. Ongoing Support:

  • Access to our Free Clinical Help Line for assistance with interpreting results and addressing case-specific questions.
  • Updates and resources to keep community corrections professionals informed about best practices in substance use screening and assessment.

Benefits of using the SASSI in Community Corrections:

  • Enhances the ability to identify and address substance use issues in justice-involved individuals.
  • Improves treatment outcomes and supports long-term rehabilitation.
  • Efficient and reliable screening tools reduces workload.
  • Strengthens the link between corrections, treatment providers, and community resources.

The SASSI Institute can help community corrections professionals make informed decisions, improve client outcomes, and contribute to public safety. Large volume SASSI users in federal, state, and local correctional centers can reach out to us about the development of customized reports on a contractual basis to meet specific program needs

What is The SASSI Institute’s Clinical Help Line?

The SASSI Institute’s Clinical Help Line is a free resource designed to support clinicians and professionals using the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI). It provides assistance with clinical interpretation of scores on each of the SASSI scales; helps individuals understand typical trends seen in SASSI profiles and how to use that information in educating clients, making referrals for clients, or developing treatment plans; provides assistance in manual scoring issues; and addresses any other specific SASSI-related questions.

Typical Clinical Help Line services include:

· Clarifying how to interpret complex or ambiguous results.

· Answering questions about the SASSI tools’ methodology or scoring.

· Providing recommendations for follow-up based on screening results.

· Offering advice on integrating SASSI assessments into broader treatment planning.

This service helps clinicians maximize the effectiveness of the SASSI tools in identifying and addressing substance use issues in diverse client populations. The Clinical Help Line is staffed by experienced, licensed/certified professionals with many years of experience and expertise in the SASSI instruments, substance use disorders and screening and assessment. They are available to answer your questions Monday thru Friday from 1:00pm to 5:00pm EST. This is a totally free service so give our friendly clinicians a call and allow us to help you make your experience with the SASSI even better for you and your clients!

An Adolescent SASSI-A3 Profile: Low-Probability with Possible Clinical Issues

Alyssa (revised) is a 14-year-old female adolescent sent for evaluation by her teachers after noticing significant changes in her emotions and behavior. Her demeanor has gradually changed from a smiling, mostly compliant teen to that of a more rebellious and sullen one. She’s been caught skipping school a few times and was found to be in the company of some older adolescents who are consistently in trouble and suspected of using alcohol and drugs. The SASSI-A3 classified Alyssa with a LOW PROBABILITY of having a substance use disorder (SUD). Neither the VAL or DEF scale scores met the criteria for the possibility of a false negative. While the scale scores do not meet the criteria for classifying her as high probability of having an SUD, there are some other scale scores which could indicate some other clinical issues that may need to be addressed. 

In going beyond the decision rules and looking at the individual raw scale scores, it is possible to develop a more general hypothesis regarding her level of adjustment and functioning. The fact that she scored above a zero (0) on the FVA, FVOD and SYM scales tells us that, while her scores are not high enough to indicate the probability of an SUD and are in fact very close to the mean, at 14 years old she has used both alcohol and drugs and experienced some negative consequences and/or problems as a result of that use. Based on her elevated FRISK score of 3, her slightly elevated ATT score of 3 and her elevated COR score of 6 (along with the observations made by her teachers), we can further hypothesize that Alyssa is likely to be surrounded by a close social system who are abusing substances and, as a result of this, her attitudes toward substance use lean more toward endorsing and promoting such use as a good thing. Assuming that this social system likely consists of her peers, namely the older teens mentioned earlier, this may explain her elevated COR scale score. In other words, she may have similar thinking patterns, beliefs, values and attitudes as those who are more likely to engage in rule-breaking, unlawful behaviors and/or disdain for authority. Her OAT score seems to indicate that Alyssa does not at all identify with any of the typical attributes that we would normally associate with an active substance abuser and that she firmly believes that she does not have a substance use problem. One of the most concerning scale scores on this profile is the DEF score of 2. SASSI research tells us that very low DEF scores such as this, often indicate a young woman who is experiencing a great deal of emotional pain and many of the typical symptoms associated with a syndrome of clinical depression. She may tend to engage in negative self-statements, identifying herself as a loser or misfit. She may be experiencing a sense of hopelessness, inability to enjoy positive experiences, lethargy, general bad feelings, impaired functioning in vital areas such as sleeping and eating, and sometimes even suicidal ideation.

While a low DEF score is not a clinical diagnosis in itself, this profile raises some questions that a counselor may wish to pursue in an interview or further ongoing assessment. For example, what is causing the significant change in emotion and behavior that was noticed by the teachers? Is it simply the normal emotional volatility of a growing and changing adolescent? Is there something happening in this teenager’s family which has caused this sudden shift in emotion and acting out? In any case, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms or other psychiatric problems are important concerns to be investigated. It would also be valuable to explore the extent and context of her drinking and drug use to determine if it is just normal adolescent experimentation, a reaction to peer pressure, or an attempt to deal with emotions too overwhelming to control on her own. While the SASSI does not indicate a high probability of having an SUD currently, without some sort of intervention regarding these sudden changes in emotions and behaviors, a future SUD problem is not out of the question. It is difficult to suggest appropriate interventions without further information. However, appears that she could benefit from seeing a safe, trustworthy and empathetic counselor who could further explore the issues and immediately address her emotional pain and help her develop coping skills other than alcohol and/or drugs. Using the raw scale score interpretations described previously, in an open two-way conversation the therapist and Alyssa could use these scores to begin to collaboratively develop a plan of action that could help her confront and overcome the difficulties she is facing.

We hope you find this useful information regarding clinical issues.  As always, the Clinical Helpline at 888-297-2774 is open to serve you Monday through Friday, 1 pm to 5 pm (EST).

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