Co-occurring Disorders in Young Adults: Common Issues in Treatment

Location: Hyannisport Session Description: About one in seven young adults in the United States has a co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder (COD). This population is also less likely to be insured, have an established doctor, or obtain preventative care than any other age group. Young adults with CODs also experience more significant impairment, poorer treatment outcomes, and are more likely to be incarcerated, homeless, or perish, including from suicide, than if they only had one or the other disorder. In addition, proper diagnosis is complicated and treating professionals, as well as the institutions they represent, often have conflicting opinions about etiology and prognosis, and where, when, and how to focus care.

In this talk, we will:

o Provide guidance on screening and diagnosing.
o Consider sequential, simultaneous, or integrated treatment.
o Focus on the therapeutic alliance and provider derived barriers.
o Re-conceptualize confrontation and promote it in balance with empathy.
o Emphasize the importance of helping establish structure and support.
o Speak to working with diverse populations, including the lack of research.
o Discuss commonly held biases and assumptions of clinicians and counselors.

Following completion of the course, participants should be able to:

1. Discriminate between substance induced, substance use and mental health disorders.
2. Consider ways to improve engagement and success for individuals with CODs.
3. Recognize biases and assumptions about treating individuals with CODs.