Writing I - Clinical Documentation and Textual Analysis

Catalog description

This multifaceted course equips students with essential skills in clinical documentation within the substance use disorder treatment field, alongside foundational abilities in critical evaluation and textual interpretation. Students will learn the principles and best practices for creating comprehensive and ethical documentation, encompassing screening, intake, assessment, treatment plans, clinical reports, clinical progress notes, discharge summaries, and other client-related data. A significant focus will be placed on understanding the Clinical Evaluations utilizing the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Patient Placement Criteria 2 and DSM Substance Abuse Disorders. Furthermore, the course integrates academic writing skills, guiding students to develop a thesis by providing an organized series of paragraphs that present relevant evidence. Finally, students will learn the basic literary terms of classification and analysis and apply these skills to interpret thematic meaning or meaning beyond the literal meaning of a text. This interdisciplinary approach prepares students for both rigorous clinical practice and effective analytical communication.