Professionally experienced in mental health and addictions
therapy. After more than 36 years of experience
in serving Walla Walla and Columbia Counties, this office was opened to provide
legal consultations, mental health counseling, and support. As a legal consultant, I provide evaluations
of clients, court reports, and forensic evaluation of documents to assist in
litigation. I have provided expert
testimony in civil and criminal trials and administrative hearings. Throughout my professional career, I have consistently focused on the needs of the client.
Open on Saturday by appointment only
24-hour emergency response for established clients of CWC
All services provided on a sliding-fee scale
Kaiser Insurance accepted
Things To Know Before Seeking a Drug
& Alcohol Evaluation
If you are seeking a drug and alcohol
evaluation because your lawyer thinks it’s a good idea or you have been ordered
to do one, it is vital to know a few things.
#1 - First, Prosecutors and Judges do
not want you to “shop around” for a good evaluation. If you have been ordered
to get one following a plea or a guilty verdict, you better choose wisely the
first time. This means do your research with reviews and referrals. Your lawyer
may have a strong opinion about where you go.
Unfortunately, there is an inherent conflict
at most of the chemical dependency treatment providers because they are both
evaluators and treatment providers. By this, we mean that if you are
found to have a “problem” with drugs or alcohol, the treatment that is
suggested can be completed and is billed by the same company that does your
evaluation. If you think that gives them a reason to find you have a drug or
alcohol problem… well, it might. Evaluators should be professional and keep
their financial incentives separate from their judgment, but some locations
have a reputation for doing the opposite. So do your homework in advance. If
there are a lot of complaints about unfair or exaggerated evaluations, take
that into consideration.
Additionally, if you haven’t been ordered to
do an evaluation and are simply having one done in preparation for your case,
you can choose to go to more than one location. However, when possible, choose
the best place you can based on research and stick with the one evaluation. That
evaluation should be sent to your lawyer ONLY. Don’t be
tricked into signing multiple releases of information. If you don’t want
someone to know your personal information, simply say “no” to any such request.
#2 - Second, you will be
answering written questions and oral questions. Be prepared. Don’t show up
uninterested or “bothered” by the evaluation. That is usually seen as lacking
awareness of your problem. If you’ve been arrested for an alcohol-related
offense, you, by definition, have a legal problem. The issue the evaluator is
trying to resolve is to what extent you might have a substance use problem and
whether you will continue to have that problem. If you don’t have a problem,
participate fully so they can figure that out.
Furthermore, do not minimize things that
should not be minimized. Even if your criminal charge is an isolated incident
(one-time occurrence), don’t minimize the fact that you got arrested, perhaps
hurt someone or yourself, or could have endangered others. Don’t try to
“outsmart” the evaluator by choosing the “right” answer. There are no perfect
answers. The best thing you can do is be respectful, responsive, and take
responsibility for your mistakes. Making a terrible mistake on one occasion
does not mean that you need treatment. If you don’t know that you made a
mistake, it might indicate that you need treatment. So, don’t try to play
games.
#3 - Third, you may be taking a
urine drug screen at some point during your evaluation. Do not show up with any
substance, including alcohol, in your system! This would seem like a
no-brainer, but it happens all the time. If you can’t show up sober to an
evaluation, you have a problem. Similarly, do not try to “cheat” the UA. These
are highly-sensitive tests, and they WILL pick up THC, alcohol, or any other
substance. It will also pick up your diluted sample. So, drinking a gallon of
water before your urine drug screen will only mean that your test is labeled
deceptive and counted as a positive. Not a great way to start the evaluation
process.
If you have questions about what to expect,
where to go, or any other questions before your evaluation, contact your lawyer
as soon as possible. If you think you will test positive for THC because you
used two weeks ago, you might want to delay your evaluation. These are issues
you can discuss with your lawyer. For some folks, a positive THC test will not
matter, and for others it could make a big difference on the outcome of your
case. Every case is unique, and the outcomes vary wildly depending on every
detail. Do not take legal advice from blogs or from friends. Get advice from a
lawyer who can go over your particular facts and give experienced advice.
If you would like to know more about
consistently fair chemical dependency assessments, call Carman Wagner
Consulting, PLLC at 509-529-1496.
Dr. Todd is a mental health
clinician with a broad range of training, education, and professional
experience. He holds the following
degrees: Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Master of Social Work, Doctor of
Social Work, and a PhD in Addiction Psychology.
The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services has
certified him as a Child Mental Health Specialist, Developmentally Disabled
Mental Health Specialist, Geriatric Mental Health Specialist, and Minority
Mental Health Specialist (Native American, African American, and Hispanic
cultures). Through the Washington State Department of Health, he is a Licensed
Independent Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Substance Use Professional.