Briefly explain how the interview process fits into the larger assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning context.

The initial interview serves as a data-gathering dialog where the counselor can also begin to craft the narrative regarding the need for treatment and what strengths the client brings to the treatment process. The interview also informs the need for any screening applications. Screening is not just testing, but rather a purposeful and applied clinical measurement to determine the existence of various problems. Assessment is a more comprehensive application where the pervasiveness or severity of various problems (including substance use disorder) may be further determined. In brief, the initial interview, screening, and assessment serve such functions as conceptualizing the problem or problems, clarifying the severity of these problems, and informing/motivating the client for the need for treatment. Consequently, the interview, screening, and assessment phases of the initial sessions eventually inform the diagnostic and treatment plan development process. Furthermore, these critical tasks are conducted not only within a substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facility. The substance use interview, screening, and assessment processes have expanded to such populations as emergency room (ER) patients in an attempt to target not only those with diagnosable substance use disorders but also those individuals who present with unhealthy use that does not yet rise to a diagnostic level.