Category: SASSI Online

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.

SYM Scale FAQ

A frequent question we get is regarding the web-based version of the SASSI-4 and how to identify the SYM (Symptoms) scale items on a client’s completed questionnaire. Because the SYM items are face valid they can give you information concerning the client’s substance use and it may be worthwhile to do a content analysis of the SYM items as they directly relate to substance use.

While logged into your sassionline.com account, click on the tab ‘My Clients’ and then click on ‘Support Materials.’ On the Support Materials page click on ‘SASSI-4 User Guide.’ Go to page 19 for the information on SYM. There you will see the 20 SYM items listed. We suggest you print this page out to assist in identifying the SYM items on your clients’ completed questionnaires.

As always, we encourage you to call our free clinical help line for interpretation assistance at 800.726.0526 Option 2.

SASSI Online Tips and Tricks: Volume 8 | Viewing Report Results

SASSI Online is our web-based platform that supports the digital administration of the Adult SASSI-4, Adolescent SASSI-A3, and Spanish SASSI.

In this edition of SASSI Online Tips and Tricks we highlight the steps to view a client’s completed SASSI questionnaire results.  When a client completes the questionnaire, responses are sent to the scoring server for immediate results. You will receive an email notification that the questionnaire is complete, with instructions on how to view the report from the Account Dashboard. For security reasons, report results are not sent via email. 

To view the report and questionnaire responses you must be logged in to your dashboard, and locate the client on your My Clients tab. To view the report or questionnaire responses for your client, click on their Client ID. In the window, select what you would like to view from the following options: View Report or View Questionnaire.

The SASSI report includes a graph of the client’s scale scores, the outcome of the decision rules based on the client’s responses, and a narrative report on the client’s profile. The completed questionnaire contains all questions asked, the client’s responses, and the scale scores.

Sample SASSI Online Reports are available here:

If you are not currently using SASSI Online and would like to experience the features of the digital platform, create an account at www.sassionline.com.  If you already have an account, let us know if you have any suggestions for our next edition of SASSI Online Tips and Tricks.  As a bonus for reading this blog post to the end, reach out to us at blog@sassi.com, with the code phrase: Report Results, to request two free SASSI Online administrations!

SASSI Online Tips and Tricks: Volume 7 | Distribution Groups

SASSI Online is our web-based platform that supports the digital administration of the Adult SASSI-4, Adolescent SASSI-A3, and Spanish SASSI. It provides a report with interpretive paragraphs outlining the decision rules and results from client responses.

In this edition of SASSI Online Tips and Tricks we highlight the Distribution Group feature available on the Purchasing & Distribution Tab of the Purchaser’s Account Dashboard. Distribution Groups can only be created and managed by the user that holds the Purchaser role on the account for the organization. Visit the My Account tab to find out who the Purchaser is for your organization’s account.

Distribution Groups are for organizations that have more than one counselor registered to administer questionnaires. They allow for the Purchaser to distribute a purchased quantity of questionnaires among registered counselors or groups within an organization. A distribution group can be named for an actual group (e.g., intake evaluations) or individual counselors (e.g., Carlisle) within an organization.

To create a new Distribution Group, Click the “Purchasing & Distribution” tab and then click the “Manage Distribution Groups” button. Then click on the “Create New Distribution Group” button and enter the name for your new distribution group, then click submit. Once a Distribution Group is created you will need to add questionnaires and counselors to the group. Click the respective buttons on the newly created group to complete this task. Continued management is required as counselors are added to the account and new questionnaires are purchased.

If your organization does not have a need to limit access to purchased questionnaires because all registered counselors will be sharing available questionnaires, then there is no need to create a Distribution Group. All SASSI Online accounts have a Default Distribution Group that all registered counselors and purchased questionnaires are automatically added to.

If you are not currently using SASSI Online and would like to experience the features of the digital platform, create an account at www.sassionline.com. If you already have an account, let us know if you have any suggestions for our next edition of SASSI Online Tips and Tricks. As a bonus for reading this blog post to the end, reach out to us at blog@sassi.com, with the code phrase: Distribution Group, to request two free SASSI Online administrations!

SASSI Online Tips and Tricks: Volume 6 | Inviting Additional Counselors

SASSI Online is our web-based platform that supports the digital administration of the Adult SASSI-4, Adolescent SASSI-A3, and Spanish SASSI. It provides a report with interpretive paragraphs outlining the decision rules and results from client responses.

In this edition of SASSI Online Tips and Tricks we review the steps to add multiples counselors to a SASSI Online account, manage their invitation, and how to manage their access.

Only the Primary Clinical Contact (PCC) for an organization can invite other counselors to the account, by clicking the “My Account” tab, then clicking the “Invite Counselor to Register” button, and then the “Invite New Counselor” button. An email with a SASSI Online link will be sent to the counselor which invites them to register. When sending an invitation, keep in mind that Invitations can be filtered by spam/junk protections. If the invitation is not in the counselor’s junk or spam folder the link is available on the same screen you clicked “Invite New Counselor.” Locate the affected counselor in the invitation history list.  Click the “Resend” button, a window will show the counselor’s unique registration link. You can copy this link and send it directly to the counselor for registration.

Since the PCC is required to be qualified, the invited counselor is administering under their supervision. However, they will still be prompted to complete a qualification form during registration.

Additional counselors added to the account cannot see the reports of other counselors or those of the PCC.  However, the PCC does have access to all counselor’s reports through their dashboard on the Admin tab. Sharing of reports among counselors can be done by printing, or saving and sending.  It is also acceptable to upload the client’s PDF results to an organization’s electronic health records system.

If an added counselor or counselors are no longer with your organization, they can be deactivated.  Deactivation removes their ability to login to the account but retains their client records.  To deactivate a counselor, email the request to sassi@sassi.com.

If you are not currently using SASSI Online and would like to experience the features of the digital platform, create an account at www.sassionline.com.  If you already have an account, let us know if you have any suggestions for our next edition of SASSI Online Tips and Tricks.  As a bonus for reading this blog post to the end, reach out to us at blog@sassi.com, with the code phrase: Adding Counselors, to request two free SASSI Online administrations!

SASSI Online Tips and Tricks: Volume 5 | Account Dashboard Overview

SASSI Online is our web-based platform that supports the digital administration of the Adult SASSI-4, Adolescent SASSI-A3, and Spanish SASSI. It provides a report with interpretive paragraphs outlining the decision rules and results from client responses. In this edition of SASSI Online Tips and Tricks we review the Dashboard Tabs, their functions and what the different Roles have access to.

All SASSI Online users have a Dashboard. When logged in to their account, they will see the text in the top right corner, text that reads: “Account Dashboard for [name on account]”
Below is a description of each tab:

News – This space is used to provide updates from SASSI regarding research projects, questionnaire updates, and any other information specific to SASSI customers. Including these blog posts!

My Clients – This space is used to administer questionnaires, redeliver questionnaires, view reports, view completed questionnaires, and access the support materials page; this is where most of the work happens.

Admin Tab – This tab is only available to the Primary Clinical Contact (PCC). Here they can view client reports that counselors on their account have administered. The counselors cannot see the PCC’s clients, or those that belong to other counselors on their account.

Purchasing & Distribution – This tab is available to the Purchaser only. This space is used to purchase more questionnaires and manage distribution groups. Distribution groups are self-managing but can be customized to accommodate multiple counselors/users on an account who do not share a budget. The Purchaser can create Distribution Groups to add specific quantities of available SASSI questionnaires and add only the counselors/users that should have access to them.

My Account – This workspace will provide information about your account. If you are not the PCC and/or Purchaser, information about who is, is made available here. If you are the PCC, the list of registered counselors is found on this tab. All users can change their password and update account information and access their Customer ID. The PCC can also invite Counselors and Intake Staff to register.

If you are not currently using SASSI Online and would like to experience the features of the digital platform, create an account at www.sassionline.com. If you already have an account, let us know if you have any suggestions for our next edition of SASSI Online Tips and Tricks. As a bonus for reading this blog post to the end, reach out to us at blog@sassi.com, with the code phrase: Account Dashboard, to request two free SASSI Online administrations!

SASSI Online Tips and Tricks: Volume 4 | Unassigning (deleting) or Redelivering an Incomplete Questionnaire

In this edition of SASSI Online Tips and Tricks we look at answering one of our commonly asked Tech Support questions; how to unassign (delete) or redeliver an incomplete questionnaire.

Read more

SASSI Online Tips and Tricks Volume 3 | SASSI to Go

In this edition of SASSI Online Tips and Tricks we take an in-depth look at our SASSI to Go delivery option! SASSI to Go is an application designed to be used offline for administration of SASSI questionnaires.

SASSI to Go is downloaded to a laptop or thumb drive, then the questionnaires are administered to clients with or without an Internet connection.

Read more

SASSI Online Tips and Tricks: Volume 2 | Delivery Options

In this edition of SASSI Online Tips and Tricks we highlight setting up a questionnaire and the delivery options. When administering a questionnaire, you have six options. This volume will cover the first five in depth. The last one, SASSI to Go, will get its own volume, so watch for that!

Read more

SASSI Online Tips and Tricks: Volume 1 | Support Materials

In this edition of SASSI Online Tips and Tricks we highlight the documents located under the Support Materials page.  Access the Support Materials through the Account Dashboard’s, My Clients tab. The Support Materials button is to the right of the Administer button. There are four quadrants on the Support Materials page, the top left is for Adult SASSI-4 documents, the top right contains the Adolescent SASSI-A3 materials, and the bottom left is for the Spanish SASSI. The bottom right section provides general information.

Read more