START (Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability)
Definition
A dynamic risk-and-strengths assessment tool designed for use in forensic and psychiatric settings, assessing 20 items as both risk factors and protective strengths. Particularly useful for care planning because it identifies targets for intervention, not just risk levels.
- Full name
- Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability
- Item count
- 20 items
- Assesses
- Both risk factors and protective strengths
- Setting
- Forensic and psychiatric care planning
Common questions
How does START differ from a purely risk-focused assessment tool?+
Each of its 20 items is rated as both a vulnerability and a strength, so the same domain, such as social support, can flag a risk when weak and a protective factor when strong, giving clinicians concrete targets to build on rather than only a danger score.
Why is START described as dynamic rather than static?+
It is designed for short-term, repeated reassessment as a patient's clinical picture changes, unlike static risk tools that rely on fixed historical factors, making it suited to ongoing care planning rather than a one-time risk classification.
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