Course Syllabus

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PSYC 4820 Client Screening, Assessment and Placement

Sponsoring Institution: University of Idaho

3 Credits

Instructor Information

Course Instructor: Steve Meier, PhD, ICPS

Your course instructor is Dr. Steven E. Meier, an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Idaho. Dr. Meier received his Ph.D. in Psychology from Washington State University. His specialty of training was in experimental psychology with specialties in Learning (Applied Behavior Analysis), Addictive Behavior (Primarily Alcoholism), and Physiological Systems.

Course Description

This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of substance abuse screening, assessment and client placement. This overview includes information related to the diagnosis of substance abuse; information related to particular testing instruments (including the reliability and validity of some instruments); issues and problems that may occur within the testing environment; and issues that may influence the outcome of particular testing instruments.  Finally, the course discusses the differences between screening and assessment tools/instruments, how to determine the severity of substance use/abuse, and placement of clients within particular treatment modalities.  The class also reviews aspects related to types of treatment modalities needed (detox, medical detox, outpatient treatment, inpatient treatment, etc.). 

Prerequisites: PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology and PSYC 478 Individual and Group Therapy Techniques in Chemical Addictions Counseling or faculty approval.

Required Materials

For this class you will need to review, purchase or access the following materials.

  • DSM V: Can be purchased through Amazon or much cheaper on eBAY.
  • A good research methods book that discusses aspects of reliability and validity in great detail.
  • Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Manuals. These manuals can be viewed or downloaded from the following websites: National Library of Medicine
    • TIP Series #7 – Screening and Assessment for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse in Criminal Justice
    • TIP Series #9 – Assessment and Treatment of Patients with Coexisting Mental Illnesses and Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse
    • TIP Series #11 – Simple Screening Instruments for Outreach for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Infectious Disease
    • TIP Series #13 – The Role and Current Status of Patient Placement Criteria in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders.
    • TIP Series #16 – Alcohol and Other Drug Screening of Hospitalized Trauma Patients.
    • TIP Series #31 – Screening and Assessing Adolescents for Substance Use Disorders
    • TIP Series #42 – Substance Use Treatment for Persons with Co-Occurring Disorders
  • ASAM PPC-2 Revised: ASAM Website – Order at 1-800-844-8948. A third edition exists but is more complex and difficult to use. This book can be purchased through Amazon.com.
  • Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Materials: SAMHSA SBIRT
  • GAIN Instrument: 

Optional Readings

  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Assessing Alcohol Problems:  A Guide for Clinicians and Researchers (Treatment Handbook Series 4).         

Other web readings are found in specific topic sections.

Course Rules and Requirements

There will be several requirements for this course.     

15 Assignments                    

Papers/Assignments

You will be required to complete several brief papers related to assignments you will encounter throughout the course.  The assignments can be found under the assignments section and will be submitted through Canvas.  

Practice Interviews

You will be required to conduct practice interviews with three individuals you may know.  These individuals should not be suffering from any type of substance abuse, mental disorder, or other clinical disorder. They should be friends you know or other students taking the course.  If you are working in a treatment facility already, you may use clients for these interviews if you are directly supervised by a clinical supervisor.  Once completed, you will write a narrative of the assessment, develop a diagnosis, and supporting documents for referral to a particular mode of treatment. 

Total Points for Assignments - 415 points

Assignment Guidelines

  • Assignments and exams must be submitted consecutively, in the order outlined in the course; therefore, it depends on where you are in the course as to when specific items are due, including assignments and exams. Other than that, there is no limit on the number of assignments that can be submitted per week.
  • Submit assignments and receive grades via Canvas.
  • Keep a copy of every assignment submitted. Write your name, V number, course subject and number, and assignment number on every submission.
  • An instructor may take up to three weeks to grade so plan accordingly to meet personal deadlines.
  • The final course grade is issued after all assignments and exams have been graded.
  • Acts of academic dishonesty, including cheating or plagiarism, may result in a grade of “F” for the course.

Although this class may not be as difficult as some others, it requires a lot of work and integration of concepts.  To get through this class on time, you must be dedicated to get the assignments completed.  Do not procrastinate in getting the assignments completed or you will fall behind very rapidly. 

2 Exams

Midterm Exam

Essay format and submitted through Canvas.  100 points

Comprehensive Take Home Exam

You will be given a comprehensive take-home exam that assesses your ability to screen, assess, diagnose and place a particular client in treatment.  The exam will be open book, open note, open person.  That is, you can use any  information you wish to help you.  However, if you use other individuals' information, you will need to cite that information correctly.   250 points          

Total Exam Points - 350 Points

Exam Guidelines

  • Exams are online in Canvas.
  • Graded exams are not returned to the student.

Email Standards

  • Subject line: include your name, V number, course subject and number, and assignment number(s)
    • Example: Joe Vandal, V01234567, BUS L321, Assignments 1, 2
  • Email body: place questions or comments for the instructor
  • Copy the ISI office at indepst@uidaho.edu

Grade Information

Total Points Possible: 765

All grading will be based on the following scale                                    

> 90% = A  
> 80% = B
> 70% = C 
> 60% = D        
< 60% = F    

Course Policies

Refer to the ISI website's Current Students page for the most current policies and procedures, including information on setting up accounts, student confidentiality, exams, transcripts, course exchanges, refunds, academic integrity, library resources, disability support and other services. 

Cheating and Plagiarism

If you cheat or plagiarize someone else's materials and I catch you, you will receive an F grade in the class and be referred to the University Judicial Council for additional sanctions.

AI Use Prohibited

As artificial intelligence tools become more widely available, it is important to clarify how they may or may not be used in this course. The following policy is designed to support your learning and ensure academic integrity.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools—including but not limited to ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity, Grammarly, image generators, and automated coding/writing assistants—is not permitted in this course.  

Unauthorized use of AI tools is considered a form of unauthorized assistance and undermines the core learning objectives of the class. This course is intentionally designed to build foundational skills—such as critical analysis, discipline-specific reasoning, original writing, and independent problem-solving—that require your direct engagement. Using AI tools to generate or revise work may hinder the achievement of these objectives and may compromise the integrity of your academic development.

Any use of AI tools for coursework, unless explicitly allowed by the instructor for a specific assignment, will be treated as a violation of academic integrity and may result in sanctions as outlined in the University of Idaho Student Code of Conduct. Students are responsible for reviewing and adhering to all university policies regarding academic honesty and should consult the Student Code of Conduct for further guidance.