Lesson 1Timeline follow-back, standard drinks, cocaine use metrics, polysubstance explorationThis part explains timeline follow-back, standard drink measures, cocaine use metrics, and how to track multiple substance patterns over time to gauge risk, aid diagnosis, and follow treatment progress with real-life clinical examples.
Timeline follow-back interview techniqueDefining and calculating standard drink unitsCocaine quantity, purity, and route metricsDocumenting polysubstance patterns over timeUsing metrics to monitor treatment responseLesson 2Psychiatric history and symptom review techniques for mood, anxiety, psychosisThis part covers thorough psychiatric history taking in addiction care, focusing on mood, anxiety, psychosis, and sleep issues, stressing how to separate substance-related symptoms, use screening tools, and check functional challenges and risks.
Eliciting past and current psychiatric diagnosesScreening for mood and anxiety in substance usersRecognizing psychosis and substance-induced statesAssessing sleep, cognition, and functional impactUsing brief validated psychiatric screenersLesson 3Social determinants: housing, employment, legal issues, insurance and accessThis part looks at evaluating social factors affecting health, like housing, jobs, legal matters, insurance, and care access, and demonstrates how to weave these into treatment plans, advocacy, and links to community support.
Housing stability and living environmentEmployment, income, and financial stressorsLegal involvement and criminal justice issuesInsurance coverage and care access barriersLinking patients to social and legal resourcesLesson 4Detailed substance use history: quantity, frequency, pattern, routes, binge/withdrawal signsThis part teaches gathering detailed substance use history, covering start, amount, frequency, methods, binge patterns, withdrawal, past treatments, and spotting tolerance, loss of control, and DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorder.
Chronology of first use and progressionAssessing quantity, frequency, and routesIdentifying binge and high-risk use patternsScreening for tolerance and withdrawal signsLinking history to DSM-5 SUD criteriaLesson 5Medication, medical comorbidity, and over-the-counter/substance replacement historyThis part reviews collecting medication, medical condition, and over-the-counter or substitute substance histories, noting interactions, liver and heart risks, pain care, and effects on medication treatment plans.
Current and past prescribed medicationsMedical comorbidities relevant to addictionOver-the-counter and herbal substance useNicotine, cannabis, and self-directed replacementDrug–drug interactions and safety concernsLesson 6Working with limited collateral and building engagement with marginalized patientsThis part explores ways to manage scarce backup info and connect with underserved patients, using motivational talk, harm reduction, trust-building, and tackling distrust, shame, and system barriers for ongoing care.
Assessing reliability of self-report dataUsing motivational interviewing micro-skillsHarm reduction framing in early encountersBuilding trust amid stigma and mistrustPlanning follow-up with unstable contactLesson 7Step-by-step addiction-focused interview flow (presenting complaint to collateral history)This part maps out a step-by-step addiction interview from main concern and substance history to medical, mental, social, and backup details, stressing order, adaptability, and time handling in varied clinic setups.
Clarifying presenting complaint and goalsSequencing substance, medical, and psych historyIntegrating social, legal, and functional domainsStrategic use of collateral and recordsTime management in brief clinical encountersLesson 8Trauma, intimate partner violence, and safety screening (suicide, homicide, child protection)This part details trauma-aware screening for trauma, partner violence, suicide, homicide, and child harm, focusing on safety plans, required reporting, records, and teamwork with protection and crisis services.
Principles of trauma-informed questioningScreening for intimate partner and family violenceSuicide and homicide risk assessment stepsIdentifying and reporting child abuse or neglectSafety planning and crisis resource linkageLesson 9Structured opening, consent, and establishing rapport in trauma-exposed populationsThis part centres on starting the interview, getting consent, and building rapport with trauma-affected patients, using teamwork, non-judgemental talk, clear limits, and cultural respect to build trust and avoid re-trauma.
Structuring the opening minutes of the visitExplaining purpose, limits of confidentialityObtaining informed consent for sensitive topicsUsing empathic, nonjudgmental languageCultural humility and managing power dynamics
