Diagnosis: DAA
I was formerly an approved provider for the Department of Transportation. If a driver tested positive for a recreational drug including alcohol I would assess the individual to determine whether, in my professional opinion, he or she had an addiction or abuse issue. There were times when, in fact, I determined that he or she did have a diagnosable addiction or abuse issue and needed treatment before they resumed driving. I would then submit a recommended treatment plan for this individual to the Department of Transportation. Occasionally, I would evaluate someone who overdrank or smoked a joint at a wedding or some other event where they connected with an old friend and shortly thereafter were called in for a random drug test. If I determined that this was a one-time occurrence or a rare occurrence which just happened to precede the random drug test I would diagnose them with “DAA”. The Department of Transportation representation would question the diagnosis since they could not locate it in the latest edition of the official Diagnostic Manual of the American Psychiatric Association. I would inform them that they would not find DAA in the diagnosis manual. DAA was short for “dumb ass attack”. The next question from the representative was, “What is your recommended treatment plan?” I would reply: “None.” This was not acceptable. The representative would insist that everyone had to have a treatment plan. Naturally the extent of the treatment plan was to avoid DDAs in the future. Not surprisingly the bureaucrat could not find that option listed and would insist that I draw up and submit a comprehensive treatment plan. I would simply tell them I was not doing so even if they refused to authorize a payment for my assessment. My guess is that they then found another provider who would obey the rules, assign an approved diagnosis and submit a detailed treatment plan recommendation. My relationship with the Department of Transportation soon ended.
I was remembering that history this morning as I was reading of the arrest of some local men and one woman. Some of the men are publicly known. The woman is accused of operating a house of prostitution and the men are accused of using her professional services. Sadly, we do not live in a state where prostitution is legal, monitored by the health department and which allows the local government to collects taxes as it does for my business. I have no idea if the business was causing a traffic issue for the local neighborhood or if there were any other adverse effects. The possibility of some car service was mentioned which the neighbors might not appreciate. Otherwise, I fail to see why anyone, other than possible spouses/partners, would care what this woman or the men using her services were doing. I highly object to using tax money to investigate, make arrests, prosecute and force other law enforcement individuals to waste their time on such a case. As a counselor if this behavior causes marital or partnership issues I certainly would be happy to help the couple or the family deal with the ensuing stress. Unless there was a case which fit the diagnostic criteria for a sexual addiction or some other co-occurring disorder insurance would not be billed. Of the woman who operated the business and the men who used the services, I would ask, “What were you thinking? Did you have a DAA?” if one is going to illegally operate a house of prostitution one should attempt to select a better location than a suburban neighborhood where it is noticed if Alexis makes an extra delivery! Of course, one can live in such a neighborhood and not have the funds to rent another location. Still…. Surely the men using the services know that there is always an insomniac in such a neighborhood who is going to monitor the traffic and other activity. Every neighborhood has such a self-appointment watch department!
Sadly we often arrest many people just because we are mad at them or because we do not like their behavior. We also arrest the mentally ill including those with addictive disorders and send them to jail or prison when they deserve and need quality mental health services. We arrest many who have had DAAs when, in fact, we need to extend a helping hand or with humility admit that tomorrow it may be us having a DAA.
We give an impossible task to the law enforcement individuals at every level of our society. We make them responsible for potentially dangerous situations, the mentally ill, for behavior with may displease us or which feels wrong in our value system. We tie the hands of judges who may want to be more empathetic and to consider extenuating circumstances. Still we complain that the very expensive judicial systems of local, state and national communities are not working. Perhaps it is time that we allow for some humility and perhaps even a dash of common sense in formulating and enforcing laws. I promise if you have a DAA not to judge you or insist that you be convicted of a crime.
Written August 29, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
I was formerly an approved provider for the Department of Transportation. If a driver tested positive for a recreational drug including alcohol I would assess the individual to determine whether, in my professional opinion, he or she had an addiction or abuse issue. There were times when, in fact, I determined that he or she did have a diagnosable addiction or abuse issue and needed treatment before they resumed driving. I would then submit a recommended treatment plan for this individual to the Department of Transportation. Occasionally, I would evaluate someone who overdrank or smoked a joint at a wedding or some other event where they connected with an old friend and shortly thereafter were called in for a random drug test. If I determined that this was a one-time occurrence or a rare occurrence which just happened to precede the random drug test I would diagnose them with “DAA”. The Department of Transportation representation would question the diagnosis since they could not locate it in the latest edition of the official Diagnostic Manual of the American Psychiatric Association. I would inform them that they would not find DAA in the diagnosis manual. DAA was short for “dumb ass attack”. The next question from the representative was, “What is your recommended treatment plan?” I would reply: “None.” This was not acceptable. The representative would insist that everyone had to have a treatment plan. Naturally the extent of the treatment plan was to avoid DDAs in the future. Not surprisingly the bureaucrat could not find that option listed and would insist that I draw up and submit a comprehensive treatment plan. I would simply tell them I was not doing so even if they refused to authorize a payment for my assessment. My guess is that they then found another provider who would obey the rules, assign an approved diagnosis and submit a detailed treatment plan recommendation. My relationship with the Department of Transportation soon ended.
I was remembering that history this morning as I was reading of the arrest of some local men and one woman. Some of the men are publicly known. The woman is accused of operating a house of prostitution and the men are accused of using her professional services. Sadly, we do not live in a state where prostitution is legal, monitored by the health department and which allows the local government to collects taxes as it does for my business. I have no idea if the business was causing a traffic issue for the local neighborhood or if there were any other adverse effects. The possibility of some car service was mentioned which the neighbors might not appreciate. Otherwise, I fail to see why anyone, other than possible spouses/partners, would care what this woman or the men using her services were doing. I highly object to using tax money to investigate, make arrests, prosecute and force other law enforcement individuals to waste their time on such a case. As a counselor if this behavior causes marital or partnership issues I certainly would be happy to help the couple or the family deal with the ensuing stress. Unless there was a case which fit the diagnostic criteria for a sexual addiction or some other co-occurring disorder insurance would not be billed. Of the woman who operated the business and the men who used the services, I would ask, “What were you thinking? Did you have a DAA?” if one is going to illegally operate a house of prostitution one should attempt to select a better location than a suburban neighborhood where it is noticed if Alexis makes an extra delivery! Of course, one can live in such a neighborhood and not have the funds to rent another location. Still…. Surely the men using the services know that there is always an insomniac in such a neighborhood who is going to monitor the traffic and other activity. Every neighborhood has such a self-appointment watch department!
Sadly we often arrest many people just because we are mad at them or because we do not like their behavior. We also arrest the mentally ill including those with addictive disorders and send them to jail or prison when they deserve and need quality mental health services. We arrest many who have had DAAs when, in fact, we need to extend a helping hand or with humility admit that tomorrow it may be us having a DAA.
We give an impossible task to the law enforcement individuals at every level of our society. We make them responsible for potentially dangerous situations, the mentally ill, for behavior with may displease us or which feels wrong in our value system. We tie the hands of judges who may want to be more empathetic and to consider extenuating circumstances. Still we complain that the very expensive judicial systems of local, state and national communities are not working. Perhaps it is time that we allow for some humility and perhaps even a dash of common sense in formulating and enforcing laws. I promise if you have a DAA not to judge you or insist that you be convicted of a crime.
Written August 29, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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