Contrasting the Views of Substance Misuse and Mental Health Treatment Providers on Treating the Dually Diagnosed

Abstract

Service delivery to dually diagnosed individuals is often impeded by the divergent treatment approaches used by mental health and substance misuse treatment providers. This paper describes findings from a survey of mental health and substance misuse treatment program administrators and staff in Los Angeles County (n=275) on their views about treating the dually diagnosed. All groups agreed about the challenges of treating dually diagnosed patients; however, there were differences both between and within providers in the two treatment systems on other aspects of treatment. The findings are discussed within the context of clinical and programmatic efforts to improve service delivery to the dually diagnosed.

• Dual diagnosis
• Treatment approaches
• Mental health treatment
• Substance misuse treatment
• Service delivery

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christine E. Grella

Christine E. Grella, Ph.D., is an Associate Research Psychologist at the UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, which is part of the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute. Dr. Grella has conducted field-based treatment outcome studies within both mental health and substance misuse treatment settings. Her research focuses on treatment processes and outcomes, with an emphasis on special populations, such as women, adolescents, the homeless, injection drug users, and the dually diagnosed, and the relationships across multiple service systems to these populations.