PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCL-5 & AUDIT-C scorers for behavioral health practices
Score the four measures behavioral health teams use most, then read the severity range and workflow notes in one place. Built for measurement-based care, with no patient information stored. These are screening and outcome-tracking tools, not a diagnosis.
Consistent scoring is the quiet foundation of measurement-based care. When a clinician administers the PHQ-9 at intake and again at week six, the comparison is only meaningful if both were scored the same way against the same severity ranges. This tool gives clinicians, intake coordinators, and quality leads a fast, reliable way to score the four measures that show up most in outpatient behavioral health: the PHQ-9 for depression, the GAD-7 for anxiety, the PCL-5 for PTSD symptoms, and the AUDIT-C for alcohol use.
The PHQ-9 contains nine items scored 0 to 3, for a total of 0 to 27. Scores of 0 to 4 indicate minimal or none, 5 to 9 mild, 10 to 14 moderate, 15 to 19 moderately severe, and 20 to 27 severe. A total of 10 or higher is widely used as a point for closer review. Item 9 asks directly about thoughts of self-harm, and any positive response should be reviewed promptly by a qualified clinician no matter what the total comes to. The tool surfaces a clear safety prompt when that item is endorsed.
The GAD-7 contains seven items scored 0 to 3, for a total of 0 to 21. Scores of 0 to 4 indicate minimal anxiety, 5 to 9 mild, 10 to 14 moderate, and 15 to 21 severe. As with the PHQ-9, a total of 10 or higher is commonly treated as a signal for closer attention to anxiety symptoms. Both measures include an optional functional impairment item that helps frame the clinical picture but is not part of the numeric total.
The PCL-5 contains twenty items scored 0 to 4, for a total of 0 to 80, anchored to one specific stressful or traumatic experience over the past month. A commonly cited probable PTSD screening cutoff sits around 31 to 33, though the right cutoff varies by setting and population. The tool also calculates the four DSM-5 symptom clusters, B for intrusion, C for avoidance, D for negative changes in mood and cognition, and E for arousal and reactivity, and flags a provisional symptom pattern based on items rated 2 or higher. That pattern is a screening workflow note for further assessment, never a diagnosis.
The AUDIT-C contains three consumption items scored 0 to 4, for a total of 0 to 12. A positive screen is commonly set at 4 or higher for men and 3 or higher for women, so the tool lets you pick the population and applies the matching cutoff. It also watches for a specific pattern: when all of a patient’s points come from the frequency item while the typical-quantity and heavy-episode items are zero, the result is flagged for clinical review before it is read as positive.
Every score here is a screening signal, not a clinical conclusion. None of these instruments diagnose a condition, and none replace a full assessment, clinical judgment, or emergency care. The tool deliberately avoids diagnostic language. It runs entirely in your browser, collects no names or identifiers, and stores nothing. When you want to move from one-off scoring to a repeatable measurement-based care program, that is where capturing and trending these scores inside the clinical record matters, which is what an EHR built for behavioral health is for.
Frequently asked questions
No. The PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCL-5, and AUDIT-C are screening and outcome-tracking measures, not diagnostic instruments. They produce a numeric score and a severity range that informs clinical reasoning. A diagnosis requires a full clinical assessment, history, and judgment from a qualified clinician. These tools do not replace any of that and do not replace emergency care.
The PHQ-9 totals from 0 to 27. Scores of 0 to 4 are minimal or none, 5 to 9 are mild, 10 to 14 are moderate, 15 to 19 are moderately severe, and 20 to 27 are severe. A total of 10 or higher is commonly used as a point for closer review of depressive symptoms. Any positive response on item 9, the self-harm item, should be reviewed promptly by a qualified clinician regardless of the total score.
The AUDIT-C totals from 0 to 12 across three consumption items. A positive screen is commonly set at 4 or higher for men and 3 or higher for women, with general or unspecified populations often using 4 or higher alongside clinical judgment. The tool lets you select the population so the result reflects the right cutoff. When all points come from the frequency item and the quantity and heavy-episode items are zero, the tool flags it for clinical review before interpreting it as positive.
The PCL-5 totals from 0 to 80 across 20 items. A commonly cited probable PTSD screening cutoff sits around 31 to 33, but the right cutoff varies by setting and population. The tool also shows the four DSM-5 symptom clusters and a provisional symptom-pattern note based on items rated 2 or higher. These are screening signals for further assessment, not a diagnosis of PTSD.
No. The scorers run entirely in your browser. No names or identifiers are collected, no answers or results are saved, and nothing is transmitted to a server. Item-level responses are never sent anywhere. You can copy or print a de-identified summary for your own documentation workflow if you choose.
Measurement-based care means administering validated measures on a schedule, scoring them consistently, and using the trend to guide treatment decisions. Scoring the PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCL-5, and AUDIT-C the same way every time is the foundation. The real value comes from capturing those scores in the clinical record and trending them over time, which is where an EHR like PIMSY fits into the workflow.
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