Assessment and treatment planning: Counsellor​

The pages that follow outline procedures for the counsellor to help the methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) team determine a client's eligibility for MMT, and describe the process of formalizing a commitment to participating in MMT and developing a detailed plan of care.

When a potential client contacts a substance use treatment service, an assessment process begins. The two most fundamental issues in assessment are the following: determining the most appropriate treatment alternatives and developing a plan of care that is consistent with the client's particular needs and preferences.
For the counsellor in an MMT service, these issues may be restated as: Is MMT the right service for this client, and if so, what issues need to be addressed in the MMT process?

The following pages outline procedures for determining eligibility for MMT, and describe the process of formalizing a commitment to participating in MMT and developing a detailed plan of care. (Included are a series of treatment planning forms that can be used and/or adapted to help you with your treatment planning.)
We set the scene by outlining some of the challenges of engaging clients in MMT.