Virginia Beach Substance Abuse Evaluations

Substance evaluations are conducted in order to gain a better understanding of a person’s drug history or to find out if they are currently abusing any drug or substance. These evaluations are administered by the Alcohol Safety and Action Program (ASAP). Private agencies can also evaluate substance abuse, but for court purposes, a state office may be used instead. If you are have been assigned to undergo a substance abuse evaluation, contact a knowledgeable attorney. A lawyer can walk you through the process of Virginia Beach substance abuse evaluations.

Purpose of Substance Abuse Evaluations in Virginia Beach?

The intended purpose of substance abuse evaluation is for a person to find out if there are any issues that are going on that keep a person from making good decisions. Oftentimes, this is done for two reasons:

  • To get a person to realize that there is a problem and get help
  • To inform the judge that there is something going on and that the person may need some treatment as opposed to jail time

If the evaluation shows that there is a pattern of substance abuse, it is likely that a person should be found guilty of their case. If there is an evaluation that indicates addictive behavior, then a person may be required to undergo treatment. It could be some sort of continuing treatment, or possibly an in-patient program depending on the severity. If there is no tendency towards future problems of substance abuse, then the judge is less likely to order any sort of continuing treatment. He may view this incident as a one-time affair and treat it as such.

Who Decides if a Substance Abuse Evaluation is Necessary?

It is usually the court that decides to have someone undergo evaluation. However, a lawyer can also request that a person undergo a substance abuse screening. If a person is on probation, then a probation officer can also request one.

What is The Process of Evaluating Substance Abuse?

The process of a substance abuse evaluation begins with a person meeting with the probation officer or a therapist. They will talk about their life, their alcohol consumption, and any other sort of substance abuse. They may interview people in their history and try to determine to what extent they are using alcohol or drugs. They will then determine if this is indeed a significant problem. Any party to the proceeding can request a substance abuse evaluation. The prosecution and the defense can request it, while the court can order it.

Qualifications of a Person Conducting Evaluations for Substance Abuse

In order to evaluate a person for substance abuse, a person has to be licensed by the state to do therapy. Usually, a person has to have training and experience with substance abuse, substance abuse evaluation, and substance abuse treatment in order to analyze and diagnose such a condition of another person.

Potential Benefits of Undergoing a Substance Abuse Evaluation

One of the potential benefits of undergoing Virginia Beach substance abuse evaluations is that they can enlighten the person about whether they have a problem in their life and if they need to make some lifestyle changes. Secondly, judges will want to know if a person’s behavior was an accident or a trend. If it is a trend, it will be taken into consideration and the judge will realize that there is something going on that cannot be handled simply with jail time.

Contact a Virginia Beach DUI Attorney For Help

If you have been required to undergo Virginia Beach substance abuse evaluations, an attorney can help guide you through the evaluation process. A lawyer can inform you of why the court is requiring you to undergo an evaluation and how to proceed moving forward. Schedule a consultation with an attorney today to learn more about substance abuse evaluations and how to best handle them.