Whenever an initial screening suggests that a youth may have possible substance abuse problems, that youth should be fully assessed using a reputable tool that measures the degree to which the youth is being negatively affected by his or her use of alcohol and other drugs (AOD). Comprehensive assessments should measure a wide range of individual and family risk factors, service needs, as well as the youth's strengths and assets. While the primary purpose of an initial assessment is to measure the severity of AOD problems, a second and equally important purpose of an assessment is to shape an informed service plan.

In some of the Reclaiming Futures demonstration sites, juvenile justice practitioners determined that the most effective reform would be to move the timing of assessment up to make the results available earlier. For example, the juvenile court and juvenile bar in Marquette, Michigan collaborated to make substance abuse assessment results available immediately upon the completion of delinquency adjudications so that each treatment plan could incorporate recent and accurate information about the extent of a youth's substance abuse problems.

Winters, Kenneth C. (2006). "Clinical perspectives on the assessment of adolescent drug abuse." In Adolescent Substance Abuse - Research and Clinical Advances, Howard A. Liddle and Cynthia L. Rowe (Editors). New York: Cambridge University Press, p. 223.
Allen, John P. and Veronica B. Wilson (Editors). 2003. Assessing Alcohol Problems: A Guide for Clinicians and Researchers (Second Edition). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [NIH Publication 03–3745].

Of all youth identified with potential AOD problems at screening, how many (as a percentage) go on to get a full assessment?

Jurisdictions should track individual outcomes for all youth identified with potential substance abuse issues at screening, whether or not they are later assessed.
Of all youth that do not get full assessments after being identified with AOD problems at screening, how many (as a percentage) are "successful" for at least one year?*

* Note: Success may be defined in various ways, including the absence of new arrests or new court referrals, no new drug use, reduced drug use, no subsequent referrals for drug or alcohol treatment, or some combination of these measures.