The SASSI Institute

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… Read more

We wanted to welcome you to join us for a free one-hour online SASSI Q&A session hosted by our Clinical Director, Kristin Kimmell, LCSW, LCAC. This will be our last free Q&A session until Summer. The Q&A is scheduled from Noon-1pm ET on: April 16th. You can save your spot by clicking here. We welcome you to share profiles to discuss with the group by sending them (de-identified) via email any time prior to the… Read more

Happy Spring! Our certified SASSI trainers have been busy doing live in-person training this year and would like to hear from you about the need in your local area for this service. Please visit the training page on our website to view a list of currently scheduled workshops at www.sassi.com/sassi-training. If nothing is scheduled in your area, please reach out directly to the trainer so they know there is interest in their area, and they… Read more

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… Read more

This adolescent male profile presents some initial complications for the reviewer in regards to the clinical interpretation as seen on the graph. The face valid scales fall either within the norm or below the norm. One of the subtle scales is above the 85th percentile so is clinically significant, and another is below the norm. An examination of the scales produces useful information to guide the discussion of the results with the client and directing… Read more

We recently published a commentary in Public Health Open Journal regarding Bromazolam (fake Xanax) use. It is increasingly being found in the illicit drug supply, mixed with other drugs like fentanyl and heroin, among others. Within the commentary, we examine the current state of the science as it pertains to the public health dangers of Bromazolam and its various illicit distribution networks, not only in North America but across the world. We also examine possible… Read more

We wanted to remind you about our free one-hour online SASSI Q&A sessions hosted by our Clinical Director, Kristin Kimmell, LCSW, LCAC. We love hearing about how you are using the SASSI and answering your questions about our screening tools. We currently have three more FREE Q&As scheduled from Noon-1pm ET on: February 13th, March 12th, & April 16th. You can save your spot by clicking here. We welcome you to share profiles to discuss… Read more

This is an interesting profile on a 23-year-old male as it brought up the question, we get on the helpline regarding video gaming. “Does the SASSI evaluate for video gaming addiction?”, especially if the administrator believes the client was possibly including video gaming as well as substance use in his answers. The simple answer is no, it does not, so please clarify with your client not to include video gaming.  A drug that is often… Read more

The end of 2023 us upon us and we hope you had a cheerful holiday season with loved ones. The team at The SASSI Institute wishes you a safe and Happy New Year Celebration. We hope 2024 is an extraordinary year for you and yours! Read more

Another year has come and gone. It honestly feels like only yesterday that we planned our 2023 journey, that it is now nearly over. As in years past, I would like to recognize all of us that have lost loved ones, friends, or colleagues. In honor of their suffering and loss, we continue to offer our condolences, our understanding, our compassion, and our love. Unbelievingly it seems that as every new year dawns upon us,… Read more

Perplexed callers periodically raise the question of how to interpret the results to their clients when all the scores fall within the norm and are only one standard deviation above or below the T-score of 50. Clinical interpretation is minimal although you can glean some useful information than just reporting a high probability. The following profile result is of a 48-year-old female. She completed the FVA/FVOD side of the questionnaire for the last 12 months.… Read more

A young man asking me to call an ambulance because he was experiencing snakes biting him. The paramedics came and were wonderfully caring and gentle with him. A man I’ve known for more than a decade who regularly volunteers and gives money to us. He also struggles with a severe mental illness that’s usually managed well with medication. But unfortunately, he’s become homeless and is living out of a van. Another man struggling to find… Read more

This profile is a good example of needing to be careful with assumptions. Overview of CORRECTIONAL (COR) SCALE The COR scale provides information pertaining to the possibility that the client may have a relatively high risk of experiencing legal problems. It is composed of items that differentiated between people who had a history of involvement in the juvenile justice system and those who did not. It is very important not to over-interpret elevated COR scores.… Read more

We wanted to let you know that we are still offering our free one-hour online Clinical Q&A sessions hosted by our Clinical Director, Kristin Kimmell, LCSW, LCAC. We enjoy hearing how you are using the SASSI in your clinical practice and agencies as well as answering your questions. We currently have three more free Q&As coming up this year. You can reserve your spot and view available dates and times by clicking here. If you… Read more

The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) is a valuable tool used in various contexts, including community corrections programs. When used in community corrections settings, the SASSI serves several important purposes: Screening for Substance Use Disorders (SUDs): One of the primary functions of the SASSI in community corrections is to screen individuals under supervision for potential substance use disorders. It helps probation and parole officers identify clients who may be struggling with substance abuse issues.Risk… Read more

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… Read more

Xylazine is a significant drug used by veterinarians specializing in the care of large animals such as horses, cattle, and deer as it provides needed pain relief. Despite this usefulness, as often happens with legal drug supplies, illicit uses become commonplace and result in unintended consequences—in this case, devastating ones. In our new peer reviewed article we examine the current state of the science as pertains to xylazine and the various uses of the illicit… Read more

It is no news that the use of marijuana is viewed by many, no matter what the demographic, as innocuous and far less than alcohol and certainly any other drugs. It has become increasingly difficult to convince users of the harm associated with marijuana use when the legal status ranges from fully illegal, to medicinal and/or decriminalized to fully legal. Users often describe marijuana as simply a plant so it is a natural and therefore… Read more

We would like to congratulate Stephen Hupp, PhD, co-developer of the Behaviors & Attitudes Drinking & Driving Scale – BADDS, on his recent appointment as Editor of the skeptically themed print publication Skeptical Inquirer Magazine. Dr. Hupp has been a long-time reader and contributor to the magazine and his most recent contribution is a FREE presentation “Investigating Pop Psychology: Pseudoscience, Fringe Science, and Controversies.” Science-based advances in the field of psychology continue to grow at… Read more

Every quarter the Indiana Criminal Justice Association (ICJA) sends out its magazine publication “The Comment.” I am pleased to be a member of this association and our CEO, Dr. Nelson J. Tiburcio, is the southern region director for them. While reading the March 2023 edition I came across an article that I was granted permission to share with SASSI blog subscribers. The article is titled: “Hygiene Indifference: The Symptom We Don’t Talk About” written by… Read more

A substance use evaluation administered on an individual involved in a custody suit can reliably be fraught with issues. This one presents a number of them. This 39-year-old client was instructed to complete the FVA/FVOD questions for his whole lifetime. A significant issue was his history of 4 DUI’s from 2020 – 2021 while in the process of separation and divorce. He denies his current use is anything like it was during that period. The… Read more

As we approach the end of PRIDE month, we are pleased to share a short article we recently published that discusses substance misuse and explores the genesis and exacerbation of drug use among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) teens. In the article, we look at the possible connection between bullying and other oppressive behavior (such as shaming) and acknowledged substance use and suicide. We hope you will take the time to read and… Read more

June is National Pride month so we thought we would bring attention to the just released SAMSHA survey on Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Results from the 2021 and 2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Behavioral Health. The results point to the heavy societal stressors of this minority population in regards to mental health and the overall use of substances as a significant coping response.  The behavioral survey looks at any mental illness, serious mental… Read more

If you enjoy sharing knowledge and have an enthusiasm for the SASSI, we invite you to consider becoming a certified SASSI trainer. We are looking for individuals to offer live in-person trainings to the public (open trainers) in their state/province of residence and possibly surrounding states/provinces, as well as individuals to provide training for their organization’s staff and their satellite offices (closed trainers). Open trainers charge a fee to participants and advertise their training to… Read more

Overall, the SASSI can be a valuable tool for helping members of the LGBTQIA+ community by identifying and addressing substance use disorders. It can provide a standardized and sensitive way to screen for these issues and can help to ensure that individuals receive appropriate care and support based on their unique needs and experiences. Read more

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… Read more

This profile on a 21-year-old female with the FVA and FVOD, based on the last 12 months, is interesting primarily because it is so unusual. As you look at the profile graph, all the scale scores are within the norm, i.e., between the 15th and 85th percentiles except for the SYM score which is above the 85th percentile. This tells you that she is acknowledging symptoms and consequences of her use and indicates she is… Read more

A substance use disorder screening instrument is a tool that is used to identify individuals who may be struggling with substance abuse or addiction. There are several different types of screening instruments that may be used, but one of the most common is the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI). The SASSI is a self-administered questionnaire that asks a series of questions related to an individual’s past and current use of drugs and alcohol, as… Read more

We are pleased that people have been joining us for our free one-hour online Clinical Q&A sessions hosted by our Clinical Director, Kristin Kimmell, LCSW, LCAC.   We enjoy hearing how you are using the SASSI in your clinical practice and agencies as well as answering your questions and speaking to you all.  We have scheduled additional sessions that we hope you can join in on. You can reserve your spot and view available dates and times… Read more

The SASSI Institute is seeking a Clinical Sales Specialist to support our growing infrastructure.  A successful candidate must have prior sales experience, with training as a Sales Representative preferred. Experience working in addictions treatment is preferred but not required. Knowledge of and experience working with substance use disordered individuals and especially treatment providers is a definite plus. The ideal candidate has high confidence and excellent communication skills. The candidate must know how to both pitch… Read more

Learn to strengthen social support for clients and families in order to learn skills that can be used with the entire family. Adolescent-Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA) skills are simple, behavioral, and easy for families to repeat during family sessions and outside of treatment. The positive, supportive approach of A-CRA allows participants to focus on the positive aspects of the family and build upon family strengths to improve relationships. On Thursday March 16th, The SASSI Institute… Read more

Please join us for our free Clinical Q&A sessions online. The sessions are hosted by our Clinical Director, Kristin Kimmell, LCSW, LCAC, and last approximately one-hour. We invite you to ask questions or share experiences regarding unusual or difficult profiles you may have come across. However, all questions are welcome. We would be delighted if you have profiles you would like to share with the group for discussion. Please send them (de-identified) via email any… Read more

On January 19th of this year our latest manuscript was published in Social Behavior Research and Practice.  Examining Sustained Recovery from Substance Use Disorder — A Delicate Process discusses the various aspects and definitional terms involved in achieving sustained abstinence (Long-term recovery).  This article was submitted as the first in a series of manuscripts examining the recovery process; both from the perspective of the recovering individual, but also including persons within that individual’s personal and… Read more

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

As this tumultuous year comes to an end, I would like to recognize all of us that have lost loved ones, friends or colleagues. In honor of their suffering and loss, we offer our condolences, our understanding, our compassion and our love. To those that have suffered, strained, and fought endlessly, yet maintained their sobriety we offer our deepest congratulations. But to those who may have succumbed to the demons of addiction and slipped or… Read more

You’re invited to join us for our free Clinical Q&A sessions online. The Q&A sessions are hosted by our Clinical Director, Kristin Kimmell, LCSW, LCAC, and lasts approximately one-hour every month. You’re welcome to ask questions or share experiences regarding unusual or difficult profiles you may have come across. But any and all questions are welcome. If you have profiles you would like to share with the group for discussion, please send those (de-identified) via… Read more

As we prepare to move into 2023, we are excited that our certified SASSI trainers throughout the U.S. and Canada have begun doing live in-person trainings again and with more frequency. We invite you to check out our training page to view a list of currently scheduled workshops at https://sassi.com/sassi-training/.  These lists are updated frequently and also contain contact information for your local trainer/s. If nothing is scheduled in your area, we encourage you to… Read more

Please join us for one of our new Clinical Q&A sessions online. The Q&A is hosted by our Clinical Director, Kristin Kimmell, LCSW, LCAC, and lasts one-hour. We invite you to ask questions or share experiences regarding unusual or difficult profiles you may have come across, but all questions are welcome. You can also join just to listen to the group discussion. Join us for one or both sessions. There are two dates currently scheduled:… Read more

The SASSI Institute recently published an article in Women’s Health on early intervention and resources for expectant mothers with substance use problems and service shortages in the present age. Within it, we discuss the need for more research and collaboration in regards to substance use disorder  and criminal Justice, especially to assist women avoid the stigmatization and ostracizing they may experience; many simply by virtue of having experienced the disease of addiction. When combined with… Read more

Courtney Hupp, MSW, LCSW, CADC will be presenting a live webinar on implementing the A-CRA treatment model on November 14th. On December 1st she will be presenting how to implement Family Sessions using this model. The treatment model known as Adolescent-Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA) recognizes that, at least initially, alcohol and drug use is about reinforcing consequences — that make us more likely to repeat actions. This is true whether we are hanging out with… Read more

A recent caller wanted help in interpreting a profile completed by a 33-year-old male. He was instructed to complete the FVA/FVOD side of the questionnaire for the last 12 months. The administrator revealed during the call that the assessment was a pre-employment screening for the Department of Transportation. The helpline does receive regular calls from counselors who administer the SASSI-4 for the Department of Transportation after a driver has failed a drug or alcohol test… Read more

As discussed in a prior blog, we are expanding our free clinical phone service by offering free live clinical Q&A sessions online. These Q&A sessions are open to everyone. The Q&A will be hosted by our Clinical Director, Kristin Kimmell, LCSW, LCAC, and will last one-hour. We invite you to ask questions or share experiences regarding unusual or difficult profiles you may have come across, but all questions are welcome. You can also join just… Read more

In recent years the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Development (a division of the American Psychological Association) has been at the forefront of identifying evidence-based approaches for clinical work with youth. Join us on October 13th from 1:30-4:30 pm ET, when Stephen Hupp, PhD (Co-Developer of the BADDS) will be presenting a webinar which will open by describing the evolving criteria for identifying well-established treatments and then will describe each of the evidence-based treatment… Read more

Since the release of the original SASSI in the late 80’s we have had the pleasure of providing free clinical consultation and support for those using our instruments via our toll-free phone line. Our clinicians have enjoyed speaking with professionals about SASSI results and strive to make it a useful and pleasant experience. We are planning to expand on this service by offering free live clinical Q&A sessions online. We invite users of our instruments,… Read more

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

As you are no doubt aware, operational, production, and administrative costs have risen dramatically in recent months. SASSI has resisted raising prices as long as possible, but due to the nature of the current economic climate, we can no longer continue to absorb the increased cost. Therefore, effective January 1, 2023 we will be implementing a price increase on our products. The SASSI Institute appreciates your continued loyalty and support. We know you have options… Read more

We are often asked if there are clinical or psychometric prerequisites to using the SASSI and which sessions of SASSI training are needed/required. The answer depends on the wide range of activities under the umbrella of “using the SASSI.” Read more

We receive regular phone inquiries regarding which side of the Profile Sheet to use in scoring either the Adolescent or Adult SASSI when the client identifies as transgender or neither male nor female. This comes up whether one is using the paper and pencil or the online version. To affirm one’s self-identity can be powerful and empowering so a discussion with a client who is either questioning their gender identification or sexual orientation or is… Read more

The SASSI Institute is proud to announce our newest manuscript addressing adolescent substanceabuse. The title of this article is Mandated Treatment for Troubled Adolescents and Substance Use Disorder: Identifying and Breaking Through Defensiveness and Denial. It provides an investigation of the defensiveness demonstrated by teens who are mandated to participate in treatment as compared to their non-mandated peers. Part of the data set we collected for The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) Institute’s third… Read more

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

The underlying headline is that we, as a group, must unify our efforts on all fronts to protect all of these individuals, which unfortunately include friends, family, and loved ones. Substance Use Disorder indeed does not discriminate! Let’s up our awareness, prevention efforts, and of course interdiction. Read more

To understand the SASSI, you need to understand how the subtle items were selected.  Dr. Glenn A. Miller considered several thousand potential items. First, he excluded items that reflected either general maladjustment or, conversely, obvious social desirability. He gave questionnaires containing potential items to both individuals in treatment for substance use and to control subjects. Then he looked for items that the members of one group usually answered differently from the members of the other.… Read more

We frequently receive calls requesting clinical interpretation of profiles done on Department of Transportation (DOT) clients. These clients have failed their drug/alcohol screening and their license to drive has been suspended pending an evaluation. In this particular case, the client is a 68-year-old female whose alcohol level registered above the DOT threshold. Her SASSI result indicated a high probability of a substance use disorder based on Rule 9. As you see on the graph, most… Read more

This sample profile is about a 27-year-old, Sally, who is a single mother of two small children. Sally was ordered by the court to report for a substance abuse assessment following an arrest for illegal possession of a controlled substance. Sally is also being investigated by the county’s Child Protective Services Agency, who has placed her children into foster care pending the outcome of the case. An initial review of Sally’s scores indicates that, although… Read more

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… Read more

The SASSI Institute is proud to announce our newest manuscript addressing adolescent substance abuse. The title of this article is Mandated Treatment for Troubled Adolescents and Substance Use Disorder: Identifying and Breaking Through Defensiveness and Denial. It provides an investigation of the defensiveness demonstrated by teens who are mandated to participate in treatment as compared to their non-mandated peers. Part of the data set we collected for The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) Institute’s… Read more

We want to take this opportunity to inform you of a small questionnaire we are deploying in the coming weeks. We’d really appreciate your feedback and we’d like as many of you as possible to take the time to fill out this brief anonymous form. We feel that if we receive enough responses, it will provide us with critical information on how we might better serve your needs when treating your clients. We consider you… Read more

Increase your understanding of how drugs of abuse interact with each other as well as what takes place in the brains of experimenters, abusers and addicts. Improve your ability to communicate with medical professionals and your clients. On March 29th and 31st, 2022, Dr. Donald R. Osborne, Jr., author of the newly released book “You Can’t Fall Out of a Hole: Ripping the Band Aid off of Our Addiction Epidemic,” will be hosting a live… Read more

This is an issue that may be turning up in your clinical practice. The caller wanted help with a profile interpretation on a 13-year-old male who had turned in a vaping pen. The school was mandated to do a substance use evaluation as a result. The online report indicated “inconsistencies” in the results so the counselor wanted more information. The client was instructed to complete the FVA/FVOD side for his whole lifetime. The overall result,… Read more

One question we field often on the clinical helpline is what does it mean when either the OAT (Obvious Attributes) is higher than the SAT (Subtle Attributes) or when the SAT is higher than the OAT when both are elevated above the 85th percentile? Read more

We hope some of you have been able to participate in at least one of our new Professional Development webinars. We are excited to be able to partner with fellow colleagues in the field of addiction to be able to provide continuing education on professional topics of interest. We have recently partnered with Courtney Hupp, MSW, LCSW, CADC, an EBT Clinical Coordinator at Chestnut Health Systems in Illinois. She had an active role in the… Read more

A caller requested help interpreting the result of a SASSI-4 questionnaire on a male client who presented himself as having an opioid addiction. ‘Curtis’ is a 36-year-old married man. He and his wife have no children. He works as a landscaper which he describes as physically very demanding. His parents smoked marijuana while he was growing up and Curtis also smokes marijuana. His older brother died ten years ago, and Curtis is still grieving. His… Read more

In this season of Thanksgiving, I felt it appropriate to share some of the many things we at The SASSI Institute are thankful for. This past year has demonstrated our human potential and tenacities in so many ways. Despite the over five million worldwide deaths directly attributable to the COVID virus, our healthcare, teaching and service staff, and yes you, all of the treatment and human service professionals throughout the world have demonstrated that we… Read more

If you have attended one of our trainings either in-person or online, you know the section on how to administer the SASSI to a client is one of the most important. A thoughtful approach can set the tone for the entire assessment by helping a client feel more at ease and engaged in the treatment process. We emphasize the importance of first establishing rapport with the client. The questionnaire is presented as an aid, not… Read more

After screening, the assessment process is critical to effective addiction treatment. In fact, treatment can only be as effective as the thoroughness of the assessment process. The assessment process can and should result in clients’ reduced denial or “resistance” and easily transition into therapy. On December 7th and 8th, Dr. Don Osborne will be presenting a live webinar on Comprehensive & Advanced Assessment of Addiction That Parallels the ASAM Patient Placement Criteria. In this program you… Read more

Many of our SASSI trainers and other instructors have expressed a desire to get their boots back on the ground and start offering live in-person, hands on workshops again. While we have all been adapting to with what has become a new social norm of online training, webinars, and conference events, many have decided that they are ready to embrace in-person events again. If you have a group that you would like to discuss arranging… Read more

 ‘Reggie’ is a 37-year-old married man. He and his wife have two children. He works as a warehouse worker where he was recently injured in a shipping dock accident. He recently returned to work after being on worker’s comp for several months during which time he was prescribed opioids for his pain. He was sent to his employer’s EAP provider for evaluation after returning to work and struggling with coping with the continued pain and… Read more

Mr. M. is a 38-year-old Caucasian male, presenting to the DUI Court with a second DUI offense. His first offense occurred and he was sentenced to time served (1 day), one year probation, paid a $500 fine, and his driver’s license was suspended for 90 days. Mr. M.’s probationary period from his first offense ended successfully.    A year later, Mr. M. was arrested and entered into a no contest plea for drinking and driving under… Read more

We regularly get inquiries about the acceptability of reading the questionnaire to a client who may have difficulty with their reading skills. We discourage the evaluator from reading the questionnaire to the client for a variety of reasons, but the primary one concerns the validity of the results. No matter how careful the reader might be, the tone of voice or emphasis on a particular part of the question may lead the client in one… Read more

Last month, Dr. Hugh Marr, a longtime trainer on the SASSI and clinical psychologist in the private practice of psychotherapy in the Washington, DC area gave an interview on the Shrink Rap Radio podcast. Dr. Marr has taught both substance abuse counseling and psychotherapy at area universities; and has worked in all phases of community mental health, culminating in running a partial hospital program for clients with the co-occurring disorders of substance use and major… Read more

The SASSI-4 I am reviewing is interesting for what it is not. The client was instructed to complete the FVA/FVOD for the last 12 months.The client is a 34 year old male with a history of drug and alcohol use. He reports that two and a half years ago he successfully completed treatment. He stopped doing drugs but continues to consume alcohol. He was being evaluated by the order of the court for an “altercation… Read more

Please join us for this insightful live webinar presented by Dr. Donald Osborne. Following is a description of what will be discussed: Addiction is a Family DiseaseFamilies are systems of relationships with each member playing their part to maintain a homeostasis or equilibrium. This is true of addicted and dysfunctional families as well as healthy ones. Individual family members assume roles within the system. Families with an addicted member may point to the addict as… Read more

Dear Friends, For more than a year now, our lives have been literally turned upside down. Many of us have lost loved ones and friends or had them severely affected by this terrible pandemic. It has caused upheavals in basically all areas of our lives. But I think it is safe to say that we are finally turning the corner. Science tells us that the required herd immunities and vaccinations are soon to be at… Read more

The client, Carol, is a 43-year-old married female, a successful business woman and mother of two children. She recently was arrested and charged with her first DWI after leaving a business dinner with sales associates. This is the first significant consequence related to her drinking. She claims that she does not have a drinking problem; however, she characterizes her mother as an alcoholic. As we take a look at her scores, first notice that Carol… Read more

We are happy to announce the next in our line of Professional Development webinars: Foundational Story Psychotherapy: Understanding and Co-Changing Clients’ Stories (Part 1) presented by Dr. Hugh Marr. Below is additional information on this workshop: We humans are narrative creatures. Much of our communication, our cognition, our memory, and even our understanding of our self is storied. By late adolescence virtually all of us have developed a life story, a story that helps determine… Read more

Here at The SASSI Institute we pride ourselves on the work we do to provide validated instruments that help you, as well as your clients.  To do an even better job, we are asking for your feedback.  We want to know how our instruments support your work.  But we also want to hear how we can improve our tools.  Our new Feedback Form gives you an outlet to share your ideas and critiques.  Click here… Read more

The SASSI Institute is pleased to announce that we are launching a line of Professional Development webinars. We will be doing these in partnership with guest lecturers on topics that may be of interest to professionals in the addiction field. Our first such webinar is Comprehensive Screening & Advanced Assessment of Addiction presented by Dr. Don Osborne. Below is additional information on this workshop: The Screening and assessment processes are critical to effective addiction treatment.… Read more

Hello friends and colleagues, We hope you and your families are all doing well. We wanted to call your attention to our very latest peer reviewed publication, released earlier this month. The title is: Criminal Justice Alcohol and Drug Screening in Practice: Using the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory to Identify Substance Use Disorder in Offenders. Now in its fourth iteration (SASSI-4), this article discusses the SASSI screening tools’ utility with criminal offenders and reviews… Read more

I have had the pleasure of being on staff at The SASSI Institute for 22 years. Throughout that time, I have had the opportunity to work closely with many addiction professionals. Their dedication and passion for helping individuals in recovery or in need of recovery have always astonished me. One of these professionals whom I have known throughout my time at the Institute is Charlie Stookey, MA, LADC, LADC-S. Charlie was a trainer for the… Read more

Carlos C. is a 36-year-old Mexican-American male who’s Spanish SASSI results indicate that he has a high probability of having a substance use disorder based on “yes” answers to Rules 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 and because his FPOS score is 5 or less (FPOS=2). Validation studies indicate that 86% of the people who have substance use disorders are correctly classified by the Spanish SASSI based on the Decision Rule (High Probability) and the… Read more

We would like to take this opportunity to invite you, our many colleagues, to express your views, research findings and other developments within our SASSI Network blog. Our intent with this forum has always been to embrace the opinions and experiences of so many professionals and treatment providers throughout the country and indeed throughout the world. This forum is meant to be one of inclusion, not exclusion. All professionals from the multitude of addiction services… Read more

Happy New Year everyone! I received my first Adolescent A-3 call on the helpline and was so excited and when I heard the numbers, I knew exactly why the clinician was calling. As you look at the profile, you can see most of the numbers are within the norm. He meets Rule 6 so comes up with a High Probability of a Substance Use Disorder and no Prescription Drug Abuse.  So, what clinical information can… Read more

Addiction treatment today is largely ineffective. Some even call it a “rip-off” because of the cost for so little good that is achieved. It is like putting band aids on terrible wounds. There are five big reasons why it does so little good. (1) There is no nationally accepted definition of “addiction” or of “recovery”. As a result, treatment providers make up their own definitions, most of which do not even include abstinence as a… Read more

The SASSI Institute is pleased to announce the publication of its newest manuscript “Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Co-Morbidities Among Teens in Treatment: SASSI-A3 Correlations in Screening Scores.” Within this article, we review data from teenagers in treatment focusing on mental health diagnoses alongside a DSM-5 diagnosis of substance use disorder. Our hope is that by identifying possible correlations between SASSI-A3 scale scores and diagnosed mental health disorders, (depression and anxiety in particular), will… Read more

Bob is a 43-year old male who was referred by his attorney for a substance evaluation following a traffic fatality in which he was driving under the influence. Bob seems to have understood the items and responded in a meaningful way (RAP = 0). There is no significant evidence that Bob was defensive (DEF = 7). The most salient feature of the profile is the significantly elevated SAT score, which is a key feature in… Read more

This year has been unusual in so many respects. Our resolves, faiths, and tenacities have been tested for over ten months now. We have suffered losses and multiple pains, including emotional, mental and physical. We have endured an almost constant barraging drain on our senses. For over two straight weeks now we have experienced more than 100K daily COVID-19 cases nationally. As a result, many of us have lost loved ones, friends, or colleagues. Many… Read more

Wishing you all a big virtual Happy Holidays from all of us at The SASSI Institute! Read more

This sample case is based in part on SASSI-A3 scale scores that were called into our clinical help desk. The client, Josh (not his real name), is a 17-year-old male who was a senior in high school at the time of the assessment. Josh was referred to the school counselor after he was caught drinking beer on the school campus with some of his friends during a school-sponsored activity. Josh, an above-average student with no… Read more

Dear Friends, On Monday, November 9th,the CEO of Pfizer announced positive early results from its coronavirus vaccine trial, citing an over 90% effectiveness rate during its first phase of clinical trials. This is truly monumental news of worldwide significance. This fact has renewed hope throughout the country, indeed throughout the world, that we were finally coming closer to achieving a response to this deadly Pandemic. We at The SASSI Institute maintain our fervent hopes that… Read more

Angela T. illustrates a profile often seen in people who acknowledge that they use drugs excessively and have come to rely on them as a coping resource. Angela’s scores on the SASSI-4 meet the criteria for classifying her as having a high probability of a substance use disorder. Angela’s score on the Rx scale also indicates a high probability of prescription drug abuse. Reviewing her scale scores reveals openness in disclosing her use of drugs… Read more

It is with great pride that we announce the release of our latest adolescent research manuscript. This article is based on one key aspect of the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) Institute’s forthcoming third iteration of the Adolescent Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI-A3). While our primary goal was to develop a screening tool for adolescents that is concordant with the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) guidelines, we found… Read more

Our Team at the Institute has been working tirelessly on a two-year research project to bring you an updated adolescent instrument that is validated against the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria.  Our research has produced multiple publications and allowed the SASSI-A3 to include some new features, including a brief scale, Prescription Drug (Rx), to accurately identify teens likely to be abusing prescription medications. The updated version also includes new subtle items to reflect current teen alcohol and… Read more

This has been an interesting year hasn’t it? I’ve worked in the behavioral health field, primarily substance use disorder, since 1989. During those 31 years I’ve never come across the types of challenges I’ve seen this year, for those struggling with substance addiction and for those healthcare providers trying to help them. “Social isolation” is the new mantra in the culture and yet it is the very thing that is anathema to behavioral health counselors… Read more

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we will be reducing the free Clinical Helpline hours temporarily beginning Monday, October 5th. Clinical consultants will now be available Monday through Friday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm (EST). We will, of course, continue to closely monitor voice mail messages and return those as soon as possible. This change only applies to the clinical helpline. Our customer service remains available during normal business hours. Please contact us if you have… Read more

               We wanted to provide you some important SASSI updates. We’re excited to announce that the research findings on the adolescent SASSI-A3 have been published! Within the coming weeks and next few months, we will be concentrating our efforts on publishing the SASSI-A3 instrument, which similarly to the adult screening tool, now includes a prescription drug scale and greater sensitivity to opioids and prescription medications. The updated instrument will be available on our online platform… Read more

In 2002 I was in my second year as a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, when I was approached by Dr. Greg Luttrell, a faculty member in Civil Engineering, who wanted to study the effectiveness of the Fatal Vision goggles. Joined by my colleague Dr. Steve Hupp, I thought this would be a straightforward study. First, we needed to find a questionnaire that measured individual’s attitudes toward drinking… Read more

One of the trickier aspects of incorporating the SASSI results in a substance use assessment is extracting the clinical interpretation of what elevated scores mean and the relationship between the scales. If you have taken SASSI training, especially the Clinical Interpretation session, you were introduced to ‘Profile Configurations.’ This section gets more in-depth into interpreting the scales and clinically drawing on information that can better inform how to work with your client as well as… Read more

The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) has been used successfully in correctional screening in multiple settings since its release. These include outpatient evaluations of offenders as well as assessments of incarcerated individuals in federal, state, and local correctional centers. Many clients served in behavioral health and substance abuse treatment programs have histories of involvement with the criminal justice system in addition to mental health and substance use disorders. Samples in the SASSI-4 validation study… Read more

Through the years, we have had the opportunity to share inspirational stories with our colleagues about their experience using the SASSI. One such story came recently from a psychologist who uses the SASSI in his practice. This was a gratifying story for us to hear and we are pleased that he has allowed us to share it with you. The mother of a 22-year-old woman called me because she felt very strongly that her daughter… Read more

In a previous post, we discussed how the COVID-19 crisis is affecting the substance use disorder field throughout the country. Unfortunately, last week showed a dramatic increase in the number of reported cases nationally, particularly towards the end of the week (more than 40,000 additional reported cases, mostly from the west coast and southwest). As a result, many colleagues that had reopened for business to provide clients with critically needed services, unfortunately, had to close… Read more

                We at The SASSI Institute wanted to update you on the COVID-19 crisis and how we see it affecting the substance use disorder field, not only here in southern Indiana, but also as reported from our many contacts throughout the country. The unfortunate reality is that many private practitioners, and even some long-standing programs, have had to furlough operations or sadly, cease operating altogether. We have lost many colleagues and personal friends to this… Read more

It is with a heavy heart that The SASSI Institute reports the passing of a dear friend and colleague, Mr. Stan DeKemper. Stan was not only a friend to the Recovery Field but also a personal and close friend of mine. Stan was the Executive Director of Indiana Credentialing Association on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (ICAADA). Our prayers and condolences go out to his family. Rest in Peace, old friend! Nelson Read the full press… Read more

The Importance of Additional Assessment Data The client is a 38-year-old male named Jim (not his real name), who was referred for a substance use evaluation following a second arrest for domestic violence. The practitioner calling in the profile reported having collateral evidence substantiating a significant history of alcohol abuse for this client. The SASSI results indicate that Jim has a low probability of having a substance use disorder. He is not acknowledging any significant… Read more

The SASSI Institute conducted a validation project on the accuracy of the adolescent SASSI substance use screening measure with respect to the most current nationally accepted diagnostic standards for substance use disorders, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders diagnostic criteria (DSM-5). We are delighted to report that our data analyses is complete and presently we are preparing our findings for peer review submission and subsequent publication and dissemination. Decision rules were formulated that would… Read more

The SASSI Institute takes the health and safety of our employees very seriously.  With the spread of COVID-19, the Company must remain vigilant in mitigating the outbreak.  We are committed to helping people who suffer from substance use problems and the professionals who serve them. In order to be safe as we reopen operations, we have developed this COVID-19 Exposure, Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Plan.  Of course, we will continue to monitor the related guidance… Read more

The SASSI Institute wishes to express our appreciation for those working in correctional settings, criminal justice and juvenile services. This is an unprecedented time for all, and especially hard for those working in correctional settings and their family members. Thank you for staying strong! We also send our condolences to the family and friends of those who have lost their life during this pandemic. Stay safe everyone. Read more

This SASSI-4 profile of a 37-year-old female was called in to our clinical support line. As we look at her results, it appears that she answered the items in a meaningful manner (RAP=0).  She is likely to have a high probability of a substance use disorder (SYM=6, SAM=8) based on decision rule 6. Notice that despite the relatively low DEF score and apparent lack of defensive responding, the SAM scale score, when combined with the… Read more

Stevie joined SASSI as a Customer Service Representative in April 2019.  She previously worked as a dispatcher with our local law enforcement and with a shelter helping women and children in need.  She is a mother of 3 young children, two boys and one girl. When Stevie is not at work, she loves binge watching TV episodes with her mom, whom she considers her best friend. She also keeps very busy with her children’s extra… Read more

The SASSI Institute is committed to helping you stay connected and feel supported during the COVID-19 crisis. The sudden changes and disruptions to our daily lives coupled with the unknowns about the immediate future can be scary and stressful. For those in the substance use disorder field, these disruptions can be particularly stressful as we are already addressing the critical needs of our clients. As you can see by visiting our site, blogs or other… Read more

We had the opportunity to consult with a treatment provider who had called in SASSI-4 scores for a Native American couple residing in Canada. Since both profiles nicely illustrate important clinical features of each client, we decided to present the interpretations in this sample. We are grateful to the treatment agency in Northern Canada that granted us permission to use the information included in this sample. To facilitate the presentation of the profiles in a… Read more

Due to the continuing outbreak of COVID-19 cases throughout the world, infectious disease experts have recommended reducing face-to-face contact and social distancing as much as possible to avoid spreading the virus. Many counseling and treatment providers are now looking to boost their adoption of virtual communication (telehealth) as a tool during this time. Congress also recently passed legislation allowing professionals to bill Medicare for patient care delivered by telehealth during the current coronavirus public health… Read more

We wish to pay tribute to Dr. Linda E. Lazowski, former Research Director of The SASSI Institute, who passed away on February 13, 2020. Linda first joined The SASSI Institute as a Research Psychologist in 1995 and retired in 2018. Linda was a Brooklyn, NY native and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Psychology from Baruch College in New York City. She then relocated to California to get her Master’s Degree and Ph.D. in Social… Read more

We are pleased to announce our most recent publication: “ Detecting “Faking good” with the Adolescent Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory- SASSI-A3: A Clinical Response to Alcohol & Other Drug Use Minimization among Teens in Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly. This article compares honest and “fake” responses from participants with known Substance Use Disorders (SUDs).  It is the first publication using data from our most recent validation study to monitor the concordance and accuracy of the adolescent SASSI screening measure. … Read more

We are excited to bring you a new stream of information through our website.  Previously we sent colleagues in the field our Newsletter through email or hard copy.  With this new format, you can expect greater variety and a more frequent stream of information.  We will still include sample interpretations, instrument updates, and ongoing research projects, but also look for engaging video content and periodic guest columns covering a range of topics. Thanks for visiting… Read more