Diversion Center

01/31/2026

I created the guide I wish existed when I first became a substance use counselor.

When I entered this field, I quickly realized something no one really talks about:

We’re expected to write substance use evaluations that are
✔ clinically sound
✔ court-defensible
✔ clearly written
✔ aligned with DSM and ASAM

…but very few of us were ever given a clear roadmap on how to actually do that.

There was no plain-language guide.
No step-by-step breakdown.
No example that showed why certain wording matters.

So I spent years learning through experience—
and then I spent a full year creating the resource I couldn’t find.

How to Write a Substance Use Evaluation is a practical, clinician-created guide designed to walk evaluators through the entire process—from the first phone call and informed consent to the biopsychosocial assessment, diagnostic formulation, and defensible treatment recommendations.

It draws from:
• DSM-5-TR
• ASAM Criteria
• AUDIT, MAST, DAST, SASSI-4
• Real interview questions you can use immediately
• Fully worked sample evaluations with rationales

This isn’t theory.
This isn’t academic fluff.
This is the actual framework I use and teach.

I created this because it was missing when I needed it most—and I know I’m not the only one.

If you’re a:
• Substance use counselor
• Treatment provider
• Group practice owner
• Clinician stepping into court-involved or forensic work

This guide will help you ask better questions, organize complex information, and write evaluations that truly serve clients, courts, and communities.

I’m proud of this work.
And I know it’s going to help a lot of clinicians feel more confident and competent in their evaluations.

01/28/2026

I love seeing stuff like this!

01/26/2026

Order yours today.

01/25/2026

01/24/2026

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/towandarlivingston_womenentrepreneurs-womenownedbusiness-empowhergrant-activity-7420212195831058432-W6eP?utm_medium=ios_app&rcm=ACoAABSLzWMBFE0xmKoVDuKx2xWig3lr9vfDFWE&utm_source=social_share_send&utm_campaign=copy_link

01/23/2026

🚨 The myth of the “safe government job” is officially over. 🚨

For decades, people were told:
➡️ “Get a government job — it’s stable.”
➡️ “Benefits are secure.”
➡️ “You’ll have job protection no matter the economy.”

2025 proved that’s no longer true.

➡️ Nearly 320,000 federal workers left government jobs last year — and that’s not just retirements or quits, that’s a major workforce shrinkage impacting real people in real social services, education, public health, and human services roles. 

➡️ About 11,000 federal employees were formally laid off, with many more facing cuts, RIF plans, and program eliminations across mission-critical agencies. 

➡️ In Maryland alone, nearly 25,000 federal jobs were lost in 2025, including more than 10,000 in just two months. 

And these are just federal figures — state and local social services professionals faced their own rounds of cuts and funding slashes too.

📉 Safe? Stable? Reliable? Not anymore.

⸻

💡 Here’s the hard truth:
Government payrolls are shrinking fast. Spending cuts, shutdowns, and restructuring are increasingly affecting even the “stable” helping professions — social workers, case managers, public health staff, human services administrators — the very people we count on when times get tough.

So what do we do?

We pivot.

👉 People with counseling, facilitation, education, and intervention skills are moving into court-mandated classes and community-focused services.
Why? Because courts will always require classes — for probation, diversion, compliance, evaluations, and behavioral change requirements. Those aren’t line-item budgets that disappear overnight.

Court-mandated services are:

✔️ recession-resistant
✔️ referral-driven
✔️ demand-based (not budget-based)
✔️ year-round work
✔️ yours to build and grow

If you’ve been helping people change their lives — whether in government or private practice — this isn’t abandoning your purpose.
It’s protecting it.

Instead of waiting for another budget cut email…
Instead of hoping your program stays funded…
Instead of seeing your colleagues walk out the door…

➡️ You can create a practice that thrives.

💬 If this resonated with you, comment “PIVOT” or send me a DM — let’s talk about building your future where your impact and your income are secure.

01/23/2026

Get in rooms like this.

01/23/2026

Most people teaching court-mandated services have training.
Very few have 15 years of outcomes.

For the past decade and a half, I haven’t just taught court-mandated classes —
I’ve built, operated, scaled, and sustained real programs serving real clients under real court, probation, and employer oversight.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• 1,200+ individuals completed Anger Management programs
• 600+ completed Domestic Violence intervention
• 900+ substance use assessments and education completions

Across programs including:
Anger Management
Domestic Violence
Substance Abuse
Shoplifting & Theft
MRT (Moral Reconation Therapy)
Urine/GAS verification & compliance services
…and more

Outcomes have consistently included:

✔ 85–92% completion rates
✔ High court and employer compliance
✔ Reduced escalation, impulsivity, and repeat referrals
✔ Programs trusted by courts, probation, employers, and community agencies

Why does this matter?

Because court-mandated work isn’t just about content.
It’s about systems, credibility, risk management, and ex*****on.

And that’s exactly what I teach during my VIP Day – 1:1 Coaching Experience.

This is not motivation.
This is not theory.
This is how to build court-approved programs that actually work — and last.

During your VIP Day, we work directly on:
• Structuring your court-mandated programs
• Positioning yourself with courts and referral partners
• Increasing completion rates and compliance
• Avoiding the mistakes that get programs shut down
• Turning your expertise into a sustainable, scalable business

If you’re a counselor, therapist, educator, or provider who wants to:
➡️ Launch court-mandated services
➡️ Scale existing programs
➡️ Increase income without increasing chaos
➡️ Build programs courts actually trust

Then a VIP Day may be the smartest move you make this year.

📩 Comment “VIP” or message me directly to learn more.

Fifteen years.
Thousands of completions.
Real outcomes.

Let’s build yours.

01/23/2026

HR Paperwork for your business