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Timing is everything. Whether it's for school, work, life, or love, timing is important. Alcohol screenings are no different. Knowing when an alcohol screening is needed and making sure that it is completed promptly are both crucial aspects.

What is alcohol screening?

Let’s start with the basics: what is an alcohol screening?

There is a difference between alcohol screening and alcohol testing. Alcohol screening consists of psychological and behavioral questionnaires that help the tester determine where the subject is at mentally. Alcohol testing is the physical blood, saliva, or breath test that determines the subject's physical alcohol levels.

Both of these aspects together make up a total alcohol test. The questions and questionnaires allow the subject to self-evaluate while the physical tests give the tester the ability to track if they're following a treatment plan to keep alcohol out of their system.

Alcohol screenings are voluntary and often administrated by school counselors or other leaders who have heard from subjects that self-identify as abusing alcohol. The screening helps the leaders determine if the subjects need to go in for treatment.

Alcohol testing

There are several different types of physical alcohol testing that help testers determine if subjects have been abusing alcohol.

Breathalyzer

The breathalyzer test is one everyone has seen on TV and movies and in real life, it's a very effective way to test for alcohol in a subject.

During traffic stops, these are a quick way for officers to check for alcohol in a subject system. These tests provide a quick result that helps the officer determine the intoxication levels of the subject. While they're fast, breathalyzer tests are not as accurate as blood or saliva tests. If a subject is taken to a hospital they'll often be tested for alcohol levels via blood or saliva tests.

Who needs to participate in an alcohol screening?

There are so many different types of alcohol screenings and testing and matching the type of testing with who needs to be tested can take a little bit of time but knowing how to help those who are struggling with alcohol is vital to the health of individuals and the community.

Self-reporting

Subjects who self-report that they are abusing alcohol are typically the first to get a type of alcohol screening. These usually involve questionnaires and interviews from leaders who care about their health.

These questions help determine whether the subject can be admitted for in-patient or out-patient treatment. They also help the questioner determine if they’re in denial about their alcohol addiction and whether they need more serious tests administered.

Denial

When a subject is in denial about their addiction, leaders often skip the questionnaires and go straight to the actual alcohol tests. By offering up the alcohol screening questions before going to the testing, leaders allow subjects to self-report and can offer counseling before going to more extreme measures.

When subjects are in denial about the alcohol usage levels and abuse, doing an alcohol test is usually a last resort. Starting with alcohol screening questions and questionnaires have been proven to work and get people into recovery and out of recovery successfully.

When do Arizona residents need alcohol screening?

Every state has different regulations and rules that govern alcohol screening and testing. Knowing when and how alcohol screenings happen in your state or area can help you make a plan for you and your family.

DUI charges

If you’ve been convicted of a DUI, your license may have been suspended. To restore your license in Arizona, you may need to complete a DUI screening.

A DUI screening involves an interview with an agent and paperwork filed with the state to get your license back. The interview and questions help the state and agents determine how severe your alcohol dependency is at the time and whether getting your license back is the right move by the state.

Anyone charged with a DUI is required to complete drug and alcohol counseling and possibly, treatment, before getting their license back. This can range from 16 to 108 hours at an approved counseling facility after having completed a screening with a counselor to determine the severity of the dependency.

Arrests

If you’ve been arrested for a DUI, Arizona recommends that subjects go through alcohol screening. This allows you to get a restricted driving permit so you’ll be able to function and drive.

These screenings typically last about 45 minutes with a counselor and do cost around $80. During the screening, the counselor will recommend a certain number of hours of continued counseling. But you do not need to complete those hours unless a judge requires it.

Where can Arizona residents get an alcohol screening?

There are counselors in every area of Arizona that are available to conduct alcohol screenings for anyone who has been convicted of a DUI or arrested for one. For students and other citizens who may benefit from an alcohol screening, school counselors, or other community leaders often have the resources to administer a screening. Taking part in an alcohol screening can help someone who is struggling with alcohol get the help they need without being overly invasive.

Online

In addition to in-person counseling and alcohol screenings, several online screenings give citizens a chance to evaluate their alcohol dependency without having to make an appointment or even leave their homes. Meeting someone face to face can give the counselor a better idea of where the citizen is at in their alcohol dependency but an online screening can give excellent help as well.

Phone

Calling into a helpline can seem daunting but the 24/7 help that is offered by numerous agencies, gives citizens compassionate, coherent help at any time. This will give you a starting point for treatment but be sure to double-check with any authorities if a phone screening will count as counseling for your DUI or arrest.

Takeaway

Alcohol screenings and counseling work when it comes to helping prevent more severe incidents of alcoholism in the community and taking advantage of the simple screening process benefits anyone who may be struggling.

In Arizona, when anyone is arrested for a DUI they must go through an alcohol screening process to receive a restricted driving license and to determine what type of counseling or treatment they need. The alcohol screening is a series of questions given by a counselor and takes around 45 minutes.

Alcohol testing like breathalyzer, blood, and saliva tests tends to be more invasive and is often the last resort. Starting with a simple alcohol screening can help not just people who have been arrested for a DUI but also anyone else who may be struggling with alcohol dependency.