Clinical supervision is essential to the development of competent, ethical, and professional practice among substance abuse counselors. A vital role of supervisors is to act as gatekeepers responsible for protecting clients and the profession. Many supervisors in the addictions field lack formal education and training in supervision and, hence, could benefit from information and guidance in performing challenging supervisory tasks such as gatekeeping. This article focuses on the key elements of effective supervision, particularly with regard to supervisee assessment, remediation, and dismissal, all while considering the common pitfalls experience and encountered by those receiving supervision. These processes are presented and illustrated through a case example as a means of providing practical guidance to those who supervise current and aspiring substance abuse counselors.

The adult version of the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory-2 (SASSI-2) has proven effective in identifying chemically dependent individuals. This research examines whether adult SASSI-2 scores can change significantly from pre- to post-test administration. In the course of this research, subjects completed the SASSI-2 prior to receiving treatment and again after the completion of the treatment phase. A shift in scores was found from pre- to post-test administration for treatment subjects on both global scores, as well as on three subscales. Though limited in generalizability due to a sample size of 20, the results suggest that the adult SASSI-2 may be helpful in detecting recovery.

This research addresses the efficacy of Rational Recovery (RR) as a treatment modality. Two groups often (10) alcohol/drug dependent subjects were exposed to two different treatment approaches at an outpatient-counseling center in the Southwest United States. All subjects were given the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory-2 (SASSI-2) as a measurement of symptoms associated with alcohol/drug dependency. Findings showed that the RR group showed significant change from pre to post-test administration of the SASSI. The results indicate that RR can be an effective treatment for enhancing openness and decreasing denial for alcohol/drug dependent subjects.