The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that in 2022, 48.7 million people aged 12 or older struggled with a substance use disorder, and almost 59.3 million (or almost 1 in 4) adults aged 18 or older had any mental illness. Additionally, approximately 75% of adults diagnosed with a substance use disorder have not received any form of treatment (NIH, 2015). These statistics demonstrate the need for mental health treatment providers to be equipped to not only support clients who struggle with mental illness, but also with co-occurring substance use disorder.

In this training, providers will gain an understanding of substance use and co-occurring disorders, along with considerations for treatment and resources to refer clients to the appropriate services when needed. Providers will also learn skills and practical tools from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and motivational interviewing (MI) that can be applied when working with clients who experience these disorders, along with exploring ways providers can engage in their own self-care. This training is intended for field-based mental health and outreach workers.