Free first information and assessment interview
The free first interview for information and assessment, held at the outpatient clinic of the Psychosocial Care Service (SAP), is open to:
The family
When the person with an addiction does not wish to attend—whether through a lack of awareness of the problem or a rejection of professional help—it is usually the family who asks for guidance. In these cases, we suggest joining the family programme to practise new ways of relating, learn to set boundaries and handle difficult situations.
The family treatment prevents the family from feeling alone: it has a therapeutic team that accompanies and guides every phase of the process. In this way, they know what to do and what to avoid, reduce overprotection, set clear boundaries and stop feeling guilty or disoriented. As well as relieving the family, this intervention often makes it more likely that the patient ends up accepting treatment.
The patient
If it is the patient who comes for the first time, it is usual for them not to know what type of approach they need and to ask for advice. During the information and assessment session, we explore history of use, physical conditions, social and family situation, and so on. This clinical history information is used to determine:
Whether prior detoxification is needed and whether it should be outpatient or in hospital.
Treatment modality after detoxification (or without needing it): outpatient or residential in a therapeutic centre. The decision is based on the patient’s ability to remain abstinent given their employment, family and health context.
Where there is little physical illness, motivation for abstinence and a supportive environment (usually the family), outpatient treatment is usually recommended.
Where there is deterioration, little awareness of dependence, low motivation, high risk, no support network or previous failures in outpatient care, residential admission is prioritised.
If admission to a therapeutic centre is appropriate, we advise on the most suitable resource of Fundación Salud y Comunidad: Riera Major or Can Coll.
In some cases, the patient already knows which modality is right for them—because it is not their first treatment or they arrive referred by another organisation with a specific request. In these situations, we provide all the information needed without requiring a new assessment of the modality.