Over the years, a variety of assessment and screening instruments have been designed for clinical use with adolescents in health and mental health settings. One such instrument is Adquest, an adolescent self-assessment, clinical information gathering and engagement questionnaire developed at Mt. Sinai Adolescent Center (AHC) in New York City. This article describes Adquest and the practice-based priorities and decisions that determined its content and utilization. It illustrates some important differences between practice-based research (PBR) instruments, such as Adquest and research-based practice (RBP) instruments. The development and utilization of Adquest represents a legitimate option for social workers wanting to integrate practice and research. It is an example of a practitioner designed, context-specific tool to enhance assessment, client engagement, program development, and knowledge about urban adolescent vulnerability and need for counseling. References and appendix