Addiction Severity Index (ASI) in Wyoming Substance Use Evaluations

What is included in OpenGate's Comprehensive Alcohol and Drug Evaluation?

A comprehensive evaluation looks beyond any single questionnaire, interview, score, or source of information. OpenGate's Comprehensive Alcohol and Drug Evaluation includes:

• administration of the full Addiction Severity Index (ASI);
• a comprehensive biopsychosocial and spiritual assessment;
• application of The ASAM Criteria, Fourth Edition;
• review of applicable DSM diagnostic criteria;
• review of relevant records and authorized collateral information when applicable;
• assessment of case-management and referral needs;
• diagnosis and diagnostic summary when applicable; and
• individualized clinical recommendations.

Additional standardized, evidence-based screening or assessment instruments may also be used when clinically indicated.

What do Wyoming's current assessment standards require?

Under current Wyoming Department of Health certification standards applicable to adult substance use disorder assessments, a provider serving adults must use an evidence-based assessment tool that includes comprehensive information regarding the client's biopsychosocial and spiritual needs. The assessment process must also use ASAM criteria, including the applicable dimensional criteria, and assess the need for case-management services.

WDH's general provider-certification rules do not identify the Addiction Severity Index as the only permissible adult assessment instrument. Current WDH certification guidance lists the ASI as one example of a clinical assessment instrument that may be used, along with other instruments.

Specific court orders and programs can have additional requirements. Wyoming Department of Corrections guidance for the Addicted Offender Accountability Act program calls for the ASI.

OpenGate chooses to administer the full ASI as part of its Comprehensive Alcohol and Drug Evaluation.

What does the ASI contribute to the evaluation?

The ASI provides a structured way to gather and organize clinically relevant information about substance use and related areas of functioning. That information helps the clinician understand the broader context of alcohol or drug use and identify areas that may require closer evaluation.

ASI findings are considered together with the rest of the clinical assessment. No single ASI response or score automatically establishes a diagnosis, determines a treatment recommendation, or assigns a level of care.

What the ASI is not

The Addiction Severity Index is not a pass/fail test. It is not a diagnostic test that independently determines whether someone has a substance use disorder. It is not an "ASAM test," and it is not a treatment-placement score.

Diagnosis and clinical recommendations, when applicable, are based on the comprehensive evaluation rather than the ASI alone. ASAM criteria are applied as part of the comprehensive clinical assessment and level-of-care decision-making process.

Can other screening or assessment instruments be used?

Yes. Additional standardized, evidence-based screening or assessment instruments may be used when clinically indicated. They are not automatically necessary in every evaluation.

Selection depends on the clinical question, the intended use of the instrument, clinician training and competence, professional scope of practice, and applicable WDH requirements.

What if an ASI evaluation is required or recommended?

Courts, attorneys, probation officers, agencies, and clients sometimes use terms such as "ASI," "ASI assessment," or "ASI evaluation" when discussing a substance use evaluation.

If you need an ASI evaluation, OpenGate provides a Comprehensive Alcohol and Drug Evaluation that includes the full Addiction Severity Index. The ASI is one component of the complete evaluation.

Requirements can vary by court, agency, referral source, matter, and intended use. If you have written instructions, provide them during intake so OpenGate can understand what has been requested.

For Wyoming DUI/DWUI matters, see Wyoming DUI/DWUI Substance Use Evaluations: What to Expect.

For broader information about evaluations connected with court referrals or orders, see Wyoming Court-Ordered Substance Use Evaluations: A Guide for Clients.

Privacy and release of information

OpenGate protects confidential client information under applicable Wyoming and Colorado law, Wyoming Department of Health requirements, professional duties, and any federal requirements that apply to a particular record or circumstance. Records received from a program subject to 42 CFR Part 2 may carry additional federal restrictions on use or disclosure. When appropriately authorized or otherwise permitted or required by law, OpenGate may provide relevant information to an authorized recipient.

A comprehensive evaluation

OpenGate administers the full ASI within its Comprehensive Alcohol and Drug Evaluation for adults. The purpose is to develop an individualized clinical understanding based on the complete assessment rather than relying on a single instrument or score.