Discussion Questions
Chapter 15: Discharge Planning and Continuing Care
1. Ideally, discharge planning should begin at the time of admission and become a part of a client’s
overall treatment plan. Explain what this means.
2. The author of the text made a strong statement when he suggested “discharge planning and
continuing care is where most addiction programs fall far short.” Keeping this in mind, what can
counselors do to ensure that clients do not relapse in the first year of recovery?
3. What types of things would you consider to be important in improving the overall effectiveness
of discharge planning for a client? The chapter describes the importance of developing the
continuing care plan with the full participation of the client. What considerations do counselors
need to keep in mind when discussing the continuing care plan with a client? How can
counselors use ASAM criteria to make decisions surrounding the appropriate time to discharge a
client?
4. Describe an area of personal difficulty you might struggle with when discharging clients from a
treatment program. What can you do to minimize that particular difficulty?
5. If treatment approaches for adolescents and adult differ for chemical dependency, why don’t
discharge criteria differ for adults and adolescents?
6. How does a counselor prepare a client to say good-by? What feelings might a counselor have
about saying good-bye to a client? How can a counselor prepare himself or herself to say good-
bye to a client?
7. One of the sad realities of treatment for substance use disorders is patient insurance. While
some insurance will pay for recommended levels continuing care, others wont. How does this
complicate discharge planning? What kind of discharge plan might you develop for a person
with little, or no insurance?