ASI Training Workbook

The diverse group, in this case, is the Native American population. The ASI functions as a framework for measuring the severity of issues related to medical conditions, mental health, family or social struggles, legal issues arising from substance abuse, alcohol, and drug use frequency, and employment status. The ASI is the initial step in the development of an individual’s profile for subsequent use by clinical and research staff (Mäkelä, 2004). Therefore, it is important for both the individual and the interviewer to understand the significance of the ASI interview. In this context, the purpose of the ASI is to create a comprehensive treatment system that addresses issues that arise in six main categories of medical conditions, mental health, family or social struggles, legal issues arising from substance abuse, alcohol, and drug use frequency, and employment status.

Before the ASI interview, the Native Americans need to be informed about all the specifics of the interview and how the results will be used. ii. Making introductions to the interviewees The community health center worker should adequately introduce himself or herself to the interviewee before beginning the ASI interview. Before the beginning of the interview, the interviewer should make introductions and express interest to ask the potential interviewee some questions regarding the research or treatment plan. The interviewer should also inform the interviewee that all the applicants of the ASI interview are asked the same questions for similar purposes of research or treatment plan. Explaining the patient rating scale Another role of the interviewer is explaining the meaning of the patient rating scale to the Native Americans.

The interviewer should make it clear that the patient rating scale is a 5-point scale that is used by the interviewer to answer the subjective questions in each of the six categories of the ASI interview. The interviewer should describe how the scale will be used, and use examples to test the understanding of the Native Americans. The use of “Severity Ratings” in the ASI The severity ratings in the ASI are based on a 10-point scale that allows the interviewer to determine the seriousness of the Native Americans’ health problems. A higher score in the scale indicates higher levels of seriousness; hence, call for more urgent treatment or immediate intervention. ” In a situation where the question asked does not apply to the interviewee, the interview should code the box as “N.

” The community health center worker should also understand the appropriate time to end the interview. If the Native Americans cannot understand the questions after two sections or misinterprets two sections, then the interviewer should end the interview. Where a question asks the number of months, the interviewer should round of 14 days or more into one month. Where the question is on the number of years, the interviewer should round of 6 or more months into one year. A patients’ representation in the board of directors in a community clinic setting ensures that all the care practices are patient-centered. Therefore, in the case of ASI, the implementation of the program, the training of health workers, and the execution will be done in a patient-centered manner; which ensures effectiveness.