Alcohol & Drug Counselor Exam Study Questions
with Certified Answers
Culture-bound syndrome - Answer illness truly bound to specific culture; refer to otherwise common
mental or physical illnesses that are subsequently construed as unusual because of path plastic influence
of culture (e.g, hallucinatory six of schizophrenia could be due to demon possession)
pharmacological therapy and psychotherapy - Answer two key mental health treatment paradigms of
Western medicine (multimodal therapy)
racism and discrimination - Answer refer to attitudes, beliefs, and practices that prejudge and denigrate
individuals or gs based on disparate phenotypic characteristics (skin color, hair texture, facial features,
etc) or ethnic minority group affiliation
What is the trend for cultural diversity in the US? - Answer increasing rapidly and steadily; by 2025, 40%
adults (48% children) will be from ethnic and racial minority gps.
HIV - Answer the viral agent that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), which is the final
stage in the HIV disease process; most prevalent in men having sex with men and IV drug users;
contributes to poverty, homelessness, an other medical problems
50% - Answer percent increase in the number of seniors needing substance abuse treatment. 70% rate
of increase in treatment
Limits to confidentiality - Answer 1. Client request for release of information
2. Court orders for release of information
3. Danger to self
4. Danger to others
5. Suspected Child abuse/neglect cause by a client
6. Grave disability
CAGE questionnaire - Answer Have you ever felt you should CUT DOWN on your drinking?
,Have people ANNOYED you by criticizing your drinking?
Have you ever felt bad or GUILTY about your drinking?
Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves (EYE-OPENER)?
- 4-question on alcohol abuse
MAST - Answer Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test - yes or no to 25 questions to explore number of
treatment issues; most accurate and oldest screening tool to identify drinkers with 98% accuracy
What is another cultural issues beyond the client's culture? - Answer counselor's culture
Relapse-remitting model of addiction - Answer recognizes that some issues tend to return cyclically
overtime, can help counselor and CLT make advance contingency plans to avoid having brief relapse in
negative circumstances or behaviors
Authentically connected referral network - Answer refers to a carefully established set of services
providers prepared to meet client needs; goal is for all network agencies an providers to recognize their
valued and essential roles in the addiction treatment process and for clients to recognize this and
respond with similar trust and confidence.
What is the primary aim of case management services, beyond providing seamless care and being client-
centered? - Answer to provide least restrictive level of care
Ask-teLl-ask technique - Answer asking permission of the client to talk with them, telling them of any
concerns you have, and then asking for their thoughts on what you shared.
Referral form - Answer used to track the results of the referral; WHO (identifies the client and counselor
involved/demographic info; substance use, legal issues, family concerns) WHAT (issues that generated
the need for the referral, substance/work, family, and goals and commitments) HOW (address how CLT
was engaged and dealt with)
When should planning for aftercare be engaged - Answer at the point of initial counselor-client contact
, What should be the focus of treatment mostly? - Answer positive education and skills in substance
abuse triggers, patterns of use, and relapse prevention;
substance issues, recovery, health issues, co-occurring disorders; holistic treatment planning an
interventions are essential in recovery process
Bookend term in substance abuse treatment means.. - Answer discussing a trigger event with someone
trusted before and after it occurs
Trigger events - Answer often crisis stressors or situations
CFR 42, part 2 - Answer confidentiality in areas of alcohol and substance abuse. confidentiality
restriction apply:
1) to records, w/c may not be disclosed even in admin, civil, criminal, or legislative proceedings by any
govt authority
2) to communications, even if the person seeking information already has it, cold otherwise obtain it, is
an official or law officer, has a subpeona or otherwise claims the right of information release not
permitted in the CFR
3) to acknowledgements, such as regarding the presence of a client (unless he/she is in a facility or
facility area not dedicated solely to alcohol or drug abuse tx, ad no mention of drug or alcohol treatment
is made)
How is subpoena will be valid for release of information? - Answer if a court of competent jurisdiction
also explicitly enters an order authorizing information release specific to the 42CFR part 2 regulations
What does HIPAA statues guidelines address? - Answer health privacy and confidentiality standards;
governs the management and release of protected health information (PHI); right to privacy for all
adults and minors ages 12-18
DHHS Privacy Rule 3 additional privacy protections - Answer 1)consent of ROI must comply with 45CFR
2)clients gets copy of ROI
3)copy is kept for 5 yrs from its exp date
with Certified Answers
Culture-bound syndrome - Answer illness truly bound to specific culture; refer to otherwise common
mental or physical illnesses that are subsequently construed as unusual because of path plastic influence
of culture (e.g, hallucinatory six of schizophrenia could be due to demon possession)
pharmacological therapy and psychotherapy - Answer two key mental health treatment paradigms of
Western medicine (multimodal therapy)
racism and discrimination - Answer refer to attitudes, beliefs, and practices that prejudge and denigrate
individuals or gs based on disparate phenotypic characteristics (skin color, hair texture, facial features,
etc) or ethnic minority group affiliation
What is the trend for cultural diversity in the US? - Answer increasing rapidly and steadily; by 2025, 40%
adults (48% children) will be from ethnic and racial minority gps.
HIV - Answer the viral agent that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), which is the final
stage in the HIV disease process; most prevalent in men having sex with men and IV drug users;
contributes to poverty, homelessness, an other medical problems
50% - Answer percent increase in the number of seniors needing substance abuse treatment. 70% rate
of increase in treatment
Limits to confidentiality - Answer 1. Client request for release of information
2. Court orders for release of information
3. Danger to self
4. Danger to others
5. Suspected Child abuse/neglect cause by a client
6. Grave disability
CAGE questionnaire - Answer Have you ever felt you should CUT DOWN on your drinking?
,Have people ANNOYED you by criticizing your drinking?
Have you ever felt bad or GUILTY about your drinking?
Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves (EYE-OPENER)?
- 4-question on alcohol abuse
MAST - Answer Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test - yes or no to 25 questions to explore number of
treatment issues; most accurate and oldest screening tool to identify drinkers with 98% accuracy
What is another cultural issues beyond the client's culture? - Answer counselor's culture
Relapse-remitting model of addiction - Answer recognizes that some issues tend to return cyclically
overtime, can help counselor and CLT make advance contingency plans to avoid having brief relapse in
negative circumstances or behaviors
Authentically connected referral network - Answer refers to a carefully established set of services
providers prepared to meet client needs; goal is for all network agencies an providers to recognize their
valued and essential roles in the addiction treatment process and for clients to recognize this and
respond with similar trust and confidence.
What is the primary aim of case management services, beyond providing seamless care and being client-
centered? - Answer to provide least restrictive level of care
Ask-teLl-ask technique - Answer asking permission of the client to talk with them, telling them of any
concerns you have, and then asking for their thoughts on what you shared.
Referral form - Answer used to track the results of the referral; WHO (identifies the client and counselor
involved/demographic info; substance use, legal issues, family concerns) WHAT (issues that generated
the need for the referral, substance/work, family, and goals and commitments) HOW (address how CLT
was engaged and dealt with)
When should planning for aftercare be engaged - Answer at the point of initial counselor-client contact
, What should be the focus of treatment mostly? - Answer positive education and skills in substance
abuse triggers, patterns of use, and relapse prevention;
substance issues, recovery, health issues, co-occurring disorders; holistic treatment planning an
interventions are essential in recovery process
Bookend term in substance abuse treatment means.. - Answer discussing a trigger event with someone
trusted before and after it occurs
Trigger events - Answer often crisis stressors or situations
CFR 42, part 2 - Answer confidentiality in areas of alcohol and substance abuse. confidentiality
restriction apply:
1) to records, w/c may not be disclosed even in admin, civil, criminal, or legislative proceedings by any
govt authority
2) to communications, even if the person seeking information already has it, cold otherwise obtain it, is
an official or law officer, has a subpeona or otherwise claims the right of information release not
permitted in the CFR
3) to acknowledgements, such as regarding the presence of a client (unless he/she is in a facility or
facility area not dedicated solely to alcohol or drug abuse tx, ad no mention of drug or alcohol treatment
is made)
How is subpoena will be valid for release of information? - Answer if a court of competent jurisdiction
also explicitly enters an order authorizing information release specific to the 42CFR part 2 regulations
What does HIPAA statues guidelines address? - Answer health privacy and confidentiality standards;
governs the management and release of protected health information (PHI); right to privacy for all
adults and minors ages 12-18
DHHS Privacy Rule 3 additional privacy protections - Answer 1)consent of ROI must comply with 45CFR
2)clients gets copy of ROI
3)copy is kept for 5 yrs from its exp date
