Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
June 13, 2006, Vol. 06-67

New Co-Occurring Disorders Publications Available at SAMHSA

Co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders affect approximately 4.6 million individuals in the United States. However, only a small percentage of these individuals receive treatment that addresses both disorders. Many receive no treatment of any kind. To better educate states, communities and behavioral healthcare providers, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Co-Occurring Center for Excellence (COCE) has just released in print the first of a series of brief publications for treatment professionals on co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders.

The newly available products include:

. Overarching Principles to Address the Needs of Persons with Co-Occurring Disorders;
. Definitions and Terms Relating to Co-Occurring Disorders; and
. Screening, Assessment, and Treatment Planning for Persons with Co-Occurring Disorders.

The publications are the first of ten short papers, spanning topics such as epidemiology, treatment, workforce and systems issues, prevention/early intervention, and evaluation/monitoring. The documents are designed for substance abuse treatment counselors and mental health providers who usually treat one or the other of the two ailments, but it will also be useful for administrators, primary care providers, criminal justice staff and other health care and social service personnel who work with people with co-occurring disorders.

Co-occurring substance abuse and mental disorders are more common than most professional counselors, medical personnel or the general public realize. The significant effects of untreated co-occurring disorders - homelessness, unemployment, incarceration, physical health problems, separation from family and friends and suicide - led SAMHSA not only to establish the COCE, but also to create a broad range grant programs, policy academies, a treatment improvement protocol (TIP 42) and training opportunities to bring evidence- and consensus-based best practices to the mental health and substance abuse treatment and prevention communities.

As a result, the diagnosis and treatment of co-occurring disorders is now being better defined and treatment approaches are taking a more integrated approach. These steps improve the ability to meet the individual treatment needs of persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders.

These new training materials are part of SAMHSA's promise to Congress following the November 2002 Report to Congress on the Prevention and Treatment of Co-Occurring Substance Abuse Disorders and Mental Disorders to develop and disseminate state-of-the-art information about the treatment of individuals with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders. Copies of these publications are available free of charge from SAMHSA's Clearinghouse (800-729-6686) or on the SAMHSA website at www.coce.samhsa.gov
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The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.