CRAFFT Screening Tool
Learn all about the CRAFFT Screening Tool and get a free PDF download to use when diagnosing potential substance abuse issues in adolescents.
Fact Checked by Nate Lacson.
What Is A CRAFFT Screening Tool?
Substance abuse in adolescents is a severe issue that can lead to long-term health and social consequences. It impacts the teen's physical and emotional health and can affect their relationships, academic performance, and future prospects.
Developed at the Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research at the Boston Children’s Hospital, The is a practical test to help diagnose potential substance abuse in adolescents. It consists of six questions to help identify the severity of a young person’s substance use.
The acronym CRAFFT stands for:
C – Have you ever ridden in a Car driven by someone (including yourself) who was “high” or had been using alcohol or drugs?
R – Do you ever use alcohol or drugs to Relax, feel better about yourself, or fit in?
A – Do you ever use alcohol or drugs while you are Alone?
F – Do you ever forget things you did while using alcohol or drugs?
F – Do your family or friends ever tell you that you should cut down on your drinking or drug use?
T – Have you ever gotten into Trouble while you were using alcohol or drugs?
It is recommended that adolescents who answer “yes” to two or more of the questions above be assessed further by a healthcare professional.
Printable CRAFFT Screening Tool
Download this CRAFFT Screening Tool in order to assess and diagnose substance use in adolescent clients.
How To Use This CRAFFT Screening Tool
This free CRAFFT tool is fully digital and straightforward. Here are the steps to use it:
Step One: Access the free test
Download the CRAFFT Screening Tool using the link on the page. You can also get in on your Carepatron app or the resources library.
Step Two: Explain the assessment to your patient
Explain to the patient what the CRAFFT Screening Tool is and its purpose. Ensure they understand that their responses will be kept confidential and that the results will help them get the appropriate help they may need.
Step Three: Administer the test
Walk your patient through the six questions of the test. Have them answer each one honestly and record their responses.
Step Four: Interpret the results
Once your patient has answered all the questions, you can interpret their responses. If two or more of the answers are “yes, " you need to refer the patient to a healthcare professional for further assessment and treatment.
Step Four: Keep the assessment safe
Make sure to keep the assessment in a safe place. This step is important for medical record-keeping and documenting risk or potential substance abuse cases.
CRAFFT Screening Tool Example (Sample)
Here’s a CRAFFT Screening Tool example that you can use as a reference. This sample illustrates how you can use the tool to assess your patient. You can view it here or download a PDF copy.
Download CRAFFT Screening Tool Example (Sample)
When Would You Typically Use This CRAFFT Screening Tool?
The CRAFFT Screening Tool is helpful for primary care physicians, counselors, and other healthcare providers dealing with adolescent patients. It can also be used to:
Identify adolescents at risk for substance abuse
The CRAFFT can help detect adolescents at risk of substance abuse, allowing you to take appropriate steps for prevention or treatment.
Monitor a patient’s progress in treatment
You can use the CRAFFT to track a patient’s progress in substance abuse treatment and gauge the effectiveness of interventions. You can then adapt and adjust your approaches for better outcomes.
Assess the severity of a patient’s substance abuse issue
By looking at a patient’s responses to the CRAFFT, you can assess the severity of their substance abuse issue and determine whether further action is needed.
Screen for alcohol and drug use disorders
With this tool, you can more easily and quickly identify potential alcohol or drug use disorders. This can help you make the proper recommendations for your patient's treatment.
Who Can Use these Printable CRAFFT Screening Tools?
The CRAFFT Screening Tool is a handy assessment that can be used by:
- Primary care physicians
- Counselors
- General practitioners
- Parents of adolescents
- Social workers
- Teachers/Educators
- Other healthcare providers who deal with adolescent patients
Benefits Of Free CRAFFT Screening Tool
This free CRAFFT Screening Tool can help you identify adolescents at risk for substance abuse and assess the severity of their issues. Several of its benefits also include:
Fully digital
This CRAFFT Screening Tool is fully digital and can be used online. This makes it easier to use since you don’t have to print it out.
Time-saving
The CRAFFT Screening Tool is time-efficient and can save time in assessing adolescents at risk of substance abuse.
Efficiently administered
The CRAFFT can be quickly and efficiently administered, which makes it an excellent resource for healthcare professionals. You can quickly identify any potential substance abuse issues in your patients.
Non-invasive
Because it does not rely on invasive techniques, the CRAFFT can be efficiently administered to adolescents and provide reliable results.
Why Use Carepatron For CRAFFT Screening Software?
General practice is an invaluable component of patient care, offering various services promoting the physical and mental well-being of individuals of all ages. From babies to the elderly, your expertise helps ensure everyone stays in tip-top condition. But running a practice can be quite the challenge.
With Carepatron, you can easily manage the administrative burden of running a general practice while continuing to provide top-notch care. Our software makes it easy to track patients, create comprehensive medical records, and even process payments quickly and securely. And because our platform is cloud-based, you’ll never have to worry about losing data or running out of storage space.
We understand that your time is precious, and we want to provide you with the best tools available so you can focus on what really matters: your patients. Carepatron simplifies medical record keeping so you can return to providing quality care quickly and easily. And with our intuitive interface, you won’t have to spend precious time learning a new system – we make it easy for you to get up and running quickly.
With Carepatron, managing the administrative side of your general practice doesn’t have to be complicated. Try out Carepatron today to see the difference!
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Reference
Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research. (2021). CRAFFT 2.1 – Screening Tool for Adolescents in Clinical Settings: Clinician Version [PDF]. Retrieved from https://crafft.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/CRAFFT_2
Commonly asked questions
The CRAFFT Screening Tool is used to identify potential alcohol and drug use disorders in adolescents. It can help healthcare professionals assess the severity of a patient’s substance abuse issue and gauge the effectiveness of interventions.
The CRAFFT Screening Tool is designed to help healthcare professionals quickly identify and assess adolescents at risk for substance abuse.
The CRAFFT Screening Tool is helpful for any healthcare professional who deals with adolescent patients.
