Spencer Hospital Offers Substance Abuse Evaluation, Care Coordination
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on Wednesday, April 12, 2023
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General
When does a person cross the line from being someone who uses alcohol, prescription medicines and other legal or illegal substances, to a person who abuses or is addicted to such substances?
If you’re concerned you’re using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs too much, an evaluation can help identify concerns and match you with needed resources. All it takes is one phone call.
Kasey Fear, substance abuse counselor with Spencer Addiction Services, a department of Spencer Hospital, conducts substance abuse evaluations with individuals to help determine abuse or addiction issues and assist them in finding appropriate resources.
“Currently, my role is providing case management for individuals to help them find and access the services needed, whether that’s inpatient treatment, outpatient care or group therapy,” Fear said. “To get started, people can self-refer to me for an evaluation. All it takes is a phone call.”
She explained the evaluation process involves using a standardized scoring tool created by the American Society of Addiction Medicine. The ASAM tool covers six dimensions to create an individualized assessment that then can be used for planning service and treatment.
With a client’s permission, Fear can coordinate care with a person’s primary care provider. All services provided are confidential. Fear’s office is located within Spencer Hospital and the phone number to call to schedule an evaluation is (712) 264-8473.
Fear is a native of the Iowa Great Lakes. She graduated in 2007 with Bachelor’s Degree in Addiction Studies and Community-based Corrections from Minnesota State University-Mankato. She completed her training and began her employment through Mayo Health Systems. In 2010, she moved back to the area to work for Compass Pointe where she was employed for nine years as a counselor, Iowa Domestic Abuse Program coordinator, and clinical supervisor.
While working for Compass Pointe, Fear co-led the team in its three-year accreditation program, assisting with developing policies and procedures and implementing system-wide change and assisted in securing Compass Pointe’s Iowa Provider Network Grant through the Iowa Department of Public Health in 2018.
She has experience working with multi-county drug courts, intensive outpatient programs, outpatient programs, group facilitation and individual counseling. She is trained in Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Achieving Change through Value Based Behaviors (ACVB), Moving On, and Families in Recovery.
- behavioral health
- substance abuse