Co-occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Disorder: A Practitioner's Guide is a basic overview of current evidence-based practices for treating co-occurring disorders. Co-occurring disorders, also known as dual diagnosis, refers to individuals who have both a mental illness and a co-morbid substance use disorder. The literature suggests that utilizing an "integrated" approach to treatment, treating both disorders concurrently in a program with clinicians specially trained in mental illness and substance abuse, provides the best outcomes for this population. This book is designed to provide clinicians with the basic knowledge and skills required to effectively assess and treat co-occurring disorders.

Dr. John Smith is a licensed psychotherapist with over twenty five years of experience in the mental health and chemical dependency fields. He is the program administrator for the Dual Diagnosis Day Treatment Program at Doctor's Hospital of West. In addition, Dr. Smith is a professor of alcohol and drug counseling at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA.