Developing a clinical assessment model suited to use in an agency providing short-term substance use treatment: Findings from a delphi survey of expert opinion: Findings from a delphi survey of expert opinion

This paper presents findings from a Delphi survey of expert opinion asking participants (n = 18), all recruited from specialist alcohol and other drug treatment services, to identify the minimum level of clinical assessment information they would be willing to collect during a single treatment opportunity of 60-min in duration. The expert sample collectively identified 27 assessment items, 7 of which subsequently met the Delphi consensus criteria. All participants considered the resulting model (7 items) to be clinically appropriate under normal circumstances; however, many stated they would be reluctant to strictly adhere to the model if it were implemented in practice. Participants suggested it would take them, on average, 40-min out of the 60-min intervention opportunity to collect the stated assessment information.