Screening and/or assessment are usually the ‘first contact’ a young person and their family/whānau may have with services. It is often the most important and effective intervention practitioners will provide. 

There are three levels of first interaction that can be utilised with young people depending on their presentation, the services they present to and the time and skills/knowledge available. 

1. Screening
2. Brief Assessment
3. Comprehensive Assessment

Once you've read the content on Screening, click on the other tab headings for Brief Assessment and Comprehensive Assessment.

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Screening

The Substances And Choices Scale (SACS) and more

Screening usually involves administering a brief questionnaire. The object of screening is to identify potential areas for further assessment. It is often the starting point of further work and should be a key part of an enhanced response for young people presenting with mental health and addiction issues. 

Full Screening and Brief Intervention: The Substances and Choices Scale (SACS)

The Substances and Choices Scale (SACS) was developed in New Zealand and is validated for use with adolescents aged 13-20 years. 

SACS records the number of times a substance has been used over the previous month and rates substance use related symptoms and harm. It is a short, freely available questionnaire which takes about 5 minutes to complete, and has high acceptability, validity and reliability.

What is SACS?

• A one-page self-report questionnaire you do with a young person. 
• Designed and tested in kiwi youth. 
• Screens AOD use and related harms, problems and risks.
• Engages young people to think and talk about their substance use.
• Scores the young person's responses to let them and you know where they sit compared to other kiwi youth. 
• Designed to aid in the provision of feedback, brief AOD advice and referring on when warranted.
• Increases engagement in referral vs screening alone.

Links to SACS resources:

• Go to the: SACS questionnaires and guides
• For an app-based version of the SACS that young people can complete in their own time or you can support them to complete together please see The Brief Quiz https://thebriefquiz.web.app
• This Instagram page also has other great information and resources and can be found at The Brief - Youth Addiction https://www.instagram.com/nzyouthaddictioninfo/

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What is the SACS ABC approach?

SACS has been adapted specifically for brevity and to align with the well-known ABC approach for smoking cessation and alcohol. Based on The SACS Brief Intervention above. The resources incorporate the Substances and Choices Scale (SACS), a youth AOD (alcohol and other drug) screening instrument developed and tested in New Zealand (Christie et al., 2007). SAC ABC is a resource for youth mental health and addiction workers, designed and promoted by Whāraurau (Christie, 2010).

A: Ask

Administer SACS Screening, review and score (Go to eSACS form)

B: Brief Advice 

Deliver Feedback and brief advice  (Go to AOD Youth Brief Cards)

C: Counselling 

Referral for Counselling /Treatment (Go to Service Providers Directory: www.addictionshelp.org.nz/directory )

 

A simple and effective easy memory aid to screen youth for problematic AOD use and provide brief personally-relevant AOD interventions.

As part of the SACS ABC an electronic version of the SACS (E-SACS) is available.

• Substances and Choices Scale ABC Brief Intervention Manual
• Desktop flowchart A4 poster that provides a quick reference to the SACS intervention which includes Harm Reduction strategies

 

Email: [email protected]

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SACS ABC Video Guide

SACS ABC Brief Intervention

This video is a demonstration of an AOD worker utilising the SACS Brief Intervention with a young person. This clip illustrates how to utilise the SACS Brief Intervention tool. It should be watched in conjunction with the SACS resources and information available here.