Quality Care
The ASAM Criteria
The ASAM Criteria is the nation’s most widely used and comprehensive set of guidelines for placement, continued stay, and transfer/discharge of patients with addiction and co-occurring conditions.
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What is the ASAM Criteria?
The ASAM Criteria is the most widely used and comprehensive set of guidelines for placement, continued stay, transfer, or discharge of patients with addiction and co-occurring conditions. Formerly known as the ASAM patient placement criteria, The ASAM Criteria is the result of a collaboration that began in the 1980s to define one national set of criteria for providing outcome-oriented and results-based care in the treatment of addiction.
Who uses The ASAM Criteria?
Treatment Providers & Clinicians
Effectively apply The ASAM Criteria in your organization with the ASAM Criteria Textbook. Order Today.
Improve the quality of patient assessments with ASAM CONTINUUM, the only clinical decision support system for conducting an ASAM assessment. Learn more.
Apply The ASAM Criteria in your organization, clinical practice, and service delivery through training. Enroll in our online courses today.
Certify your treatment program’s ability to deliver a specific level of care. Learn more about our Level of Care Certification.
Free Paper-Based ASAM Criteria Paper-based Intake Assessment Guide developed by ASAM and the UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs supports increased quality and consistency of patient assessments and patient-centered care.
Administrators, Payers & Policymakers
States across the country are using The ASAM Criteria as the foundation of efforts to improve the addiction treatment system. Find out more about state implementation.
Speaking The Same Language: A Toolkit for Strengthening Patient-Centered Addiction Care in the United States. Designed to help stakeholders establish a common framework and language across all payers, providers, and patients on describing addiction care and ensuring that care remains focused on the individualized needs of those living with SUD.
Help us ensure The ASAM Criteria is appropriately implemented. Review our copyright guidelines and report any misuse.
Managed care entities are required to license The ASAM Criteria. Please complete this form for more information.
Patients & Families
Access the level of care you or your loved one deserves. Find a certified residential program that meets your needs. Click here.
For Patients or Providers who are seeking information and resources regarding parity. Click here.
- Access professional resources. Free Brief Assessment to learn about what level of care might meet your needs. Click here.
ASAM Criteria 4th Edition Development
ASAM is currently working to develop the 4th Edition of The ASAM Criteria® using a rigorous methodology for evidence review and formal consensus development under the guidance of a new editorial subcommittee.