Phone call assessment tool

The following is a means of evaluating how your “Identified Patient” is progressing in treatment based on calls you receive and the content of those calls. Though this is not a scientific questionnaire, we believe it is a tool that may assist you in considering whether the patient is identifying and addressing necessary changes in the treatment process.
As you may already be aware, or as you will discover when attending the Family program, the “Drink/Drug” are “But a symptom” (page 64 Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book) of the Disease.
At this time, we want you to consider other “Symptoms” that have been clearly evident throughout the addiction. The following list may be helpful with that identification:

• History of self centeredness
• History of dishonesty
• History of manipulative behavior
• History of blaming others
• History of minimizing the impact and consequences on others
• History of rationalizing, violating and breaking rules
• History of utilizing “Emotional Terrorism” as a means to get what they want. (Definition of “Emotional Terrorism”; the exploitation of emotional vulnerabilities to achieve a means to an end, with little to no regard of the consequences incurred by others. (Mark A Constantino,2014))
If you review the Family Questionnaire that you have completed, you may identify other symptoms not listed above.

The following questions will aide you in evaluating progress or lack of progress:
1. Is the patient calling during the designated phone use times?
2. Is the patient honoring the rules regarding phone use of two calls per day at fifteen minutes per call?
3. Does the patient consider your schedule when calling or is your schedule unimportant to the patient?
4. Does the call include focus of how you are doing or is it completely one sided with no regard for you or how you are doing?
5. Does the patient focus on the priority of being in treatment or is much of the time spent complaining about minor inconsistencies of the facility?
6. Does the patient support you fully engaging in the treatment process or has the patient attempted to keep you at a distance from the treatment team?
7. Does the call consist of the patient asking or possibly demanding things that the patient states that they “need”, or is it more of a “want”?
8. If the patient has identified a legitimate problem or difficulty with the facility or staff, is the pt agreeable to discussing this with you and the primary counselor together as a means of creating a solution, or is the patient reluctant in doing so?
9. Has the patient refused or rescinded releases of information limiting our contact with you and assisting you in your own recovery process?

The above series of questions can be used regularly following calls received. We encourage you to discuss the results with the patient and the primary counselor and/or the assigned family counselor together either in a session or on a conference call.