Dual Disorder Recovery

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About Dual Disorder Recovery

Reflecting the history of successful recovery efforts in America, literature from Alcoholics Anonymous describes individuals experiencing “happy, contented sobriety” after working a program of recovery and getting some clean time under their belts. Yet the experience of so many individuals with co-occurring depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, or other mental/emotional disorders is anything but happy and contented. When individuals stop using substances that may have been providing some mitigation of or distraction from other mental health disorder symptoms, they are left with a more direct and potent experience of those symptoms, which is typically anything but happy and contented. For those individuals, the goal and solution is dual recovery, that is, to have a program of recovery in which 2 or more disorders are effectively addressed at the same time, in a manner that is as integrated as possible.
Dual Capability
COD Guidance
USF Training Series
Anger Management
Web-Based Learning
Recommended Books

Dual Diagnosis Capability

Whether you are a traditional substance abuse treatment provider seeking to become more capable of providing effective co-occurring mental health treatment, or a traditional mental health treatment provider seeking to become more capable of providing effective co-occurring addictions treatment, the DDCAT and DDCMHT provide a useful framework.

  • The DDCAT is the Dual Diagnosis Capability in Addictions Treatment model, with implementation guidance available at no cost via the DDCAT Toolkit, which explains the framework and offers information on how to develop your substance use disorder treatment services in an integrated, co-occurring direction.

Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment Guidance

Developing and implementing effective treatment programs for individuals facing both of the significant challenges posed by co-occurring mental health & substance use disorders is understandably complex. Access any of the publications linked below for solid resources to guide such efforts:

COCE: SAMHSA's Co-Occurring Center for Excellence Overview Paper Series

University of South Florida's COD Training Series

The University of South Florida offers a training series, providing a comprehensive overview for practitioners on topics related to assessing and treating persons with co-occurring disorders, with a certificate available upon completion. The topics covered include the following:

  1. Understanding the Needs of Persons with Co-occurring Disorders
  2. Issues and Techniques in the Assessment of Co-occurring Disorders
  3. Creating Treatment Programs for Persons with Co-occurring Disorders
  4. Evidence-based Treatment Models for Persons with Co-occurring Disorders
  5. Responsive Services and Supports for Persons with Co-occurring Disorders
  6. Adolescents and Co-occurring Disorders
  7. Co-occurring Disorders among Older Adults
  8. Women and Co-occurring Disorders
  9. Co-occurring Disorders in Persons in the Justice System

Anger Management for Behavioral Health Clients

Access the Practitioner Manual and Participant Workbook below for a well-developed curriculum to utilize for addressing the needs for anger education, healthy anger expression, and anger management that are so prevalent among clients referred for co-occurring disorder treatment services.

Interactive Web-Based Learning Modules

The modules accessible via the link below were developed in 2007-08 by Stephen R. Wiland, with SAMHSA Block Grant funding made available through the State of Michigan's Department of Community Health. Although somewhat primitive in design by today's technology standards, the  training content is still quite relevant.

These modules address the following important elements:
    1. Dual Assessment
    2. Stages of Treatment
    3. Engagement
    4. Treatment Planning
    5. Motivational Counseling
    6. Substance Abuse Counseling for Persons with Mental Illness
    7. Group Treatment for Dual Disorders
    8. Relapse Prevention
    9. Self-Help
    10. Family Treatment