In order to decide whether or not a client is eligible for a specific program, certain information must be obtained from the client during a screening interview. In the screening interview the counselor assesses the client's eligibility (eligibility factors are legal status, home, age, gender, veteran status, income amount, and where the client was referred from) and does not go beyond that, as it is all non-therapeutic.

After ascertaining this information, the counselor decides if the client is eligible for entering the program. The admission criteria for substance use clients is divided into separate categories:

1. The criteria for acute hospital care is when the client is not progressing in programs that are less intensive, when they are in danger of chemical withdrawal, have a high tolerance to more than one substances, or have medical or psychiatric symptoms that are increased by substance use.

2. Non-hospital residential care criteria includes an inability to progress in a program less intensive and an exhibition of psychiatric or medical problems that are steady yet need monitoring.

3. Criteria for hospitalization only partially includes the patient not needing medical care 24 hours a day, having psychiatric or medical problems that are steady yet need monitoring, not being dependent on drugs that distort one's state of consciousness, and not requiring psychiatric care.

4. Criteria for outpatient care includes the client being able to function in a social environment by him/or herself, a desire to work and abstain from drug use, and not needing medical care 24 hours a day.