Rush Evaluation Services (RES) are a specialized assessment by a credentialed substance abuse counselor to determine whether or not a substance abuse disorder exists. It is designed specifically for judges, attorneys, investigators, and litigants. Clients may be self referred, referred by an attorney, or ordered by the court system under an Agreed Order to compel examination. A written report is provided to the referent.

Benefits of referral
RES provide a cost-effective and responsive client assessment that can assist counsel or the court in the decision-making process. RES may save hours of pre-trial investigation, pre-trial reports, actual court time, investigative fees, etc. The evaluation also may help determine appropriate restrictions or limitations that could be imposed on the petitioner or respondent, pending compliance with court-ordered treatment or education.

The basic RES includes:

• A substance use disorder evaluation completed by a certified alcohol and drug counselor
• A chain of custody urine drug screen or other laboratory tests
• A complete psychosocial history
• A series of collateral contacts to people who can either verify or dispute the client’s self report and validate clinical findings
• A comprehensive written report
• In many cases, a more comprehensive evaluation with a board-certified psychiatrist or licensed clinical psychologist may be necessary. Other services offered include psychological testing; biomedical history and physical examination; and forensic hair specimen testing.