completing your assessment

Most people have only taken a drug test when applying for a job. This test is a simple examination of blood or urine levels, which potential employers often pay for as part of the hiring process.

A drug and alcohol assessment, however, is a bit more in-depth. Such examinations are typically the result of a court order, such as after a DUI or for child custody cases.

Have you recently been told to undergo an assessment? This process can be confusing to take on alone, but help is available.

Here's everything you need to know about the process.

Prepare to Talk About Yourself

Drug and alcohol assessments are more of a deep talk than a medical routine.

It involves sitting down with a professional evaluator to discuss your drug and alcohol use. This conversation will include details about any drug use, such as your drug of choice, your frequency of use, and the impact it has had on your relationships.

Evaluators want to know everything about the length and scope of your use.

They'll ask how long you've had this interest and ask if it has ever gotten you into trouble before. These questions help the evaluator to determine whether or not you have a problem that needs to be addressed immediately.

Discuss Action Steps

Sometimes, a drug and alcohol assessment isn't about solving a problem. Instead, it can be a helpful tool to use in a traffic case or to back up your claims of being a responsible parent.

Other times, the right actions need to be taken to follow-up your assessment.

If it's determined that you have a drug and alcohol problem, you may be ordered to complete addiction treatment.

This type of treatment can range from rehabilitation services to outpatient treatment or even counseling and therapy. Your evaluator can help you understand each option.

Assessment Options and Costs

Not every assessment is done in person.

If you have a busy schedule or other restrictions, you can opt to take a drug and alcohol assessment remotely. This discussion will be either via a web chat or a phone call.

It allows you to move your court case along without having to wait to set up a meeting at a time convenient for you both.

You still must pay for this assessment and costs will depend on the services provided.

Some are as simple as completing a course and talking to an evaluator. Others offer pre-screenings and follow-ups to get a full assessment of your drug situation.

The kind of assessment you need to complete may also depend on your court order.

Double-check what is required before you choose your service.

Drug and Alcohol Assessment Made Easy

Ready to complete your assessment?

North Metro Online Education makes the process as simple as possible. We offer direct digital access to many kinds of courses, from online driver's education to required classes after a drug arrest.

First things first though, you have to find the right course for you.

Click here to discover all of our options and enroll in your online assessment today!

North Metro Online Education is a premier defensive driving, DUI school, and alcohol and drug evaluation counseling center. We provide a wide variety of online classes to satisfy your court or DMV requirements. Offering classes in ALL 50 states, we're a leader in U.S. distance learning programs.