Co-occurring Disorders: Clinical Identification, Substance Profiles, and Integrated Assessment
Overview
This practical training focuses on the essential skills for supporting people with co-occurring disorders (CODs) through a recovery-oriented and harm reduction lens. Participants will move beyond theory to engage in immersive case studies, exploring the harm reduction spectrum of care to build rapport and reduce physiological risk during community encounters. The training provides a deep dive into the classifications of psychoactive substances—including stimulants, depressants, and opioids—identifying signs of intoxication, tolerance, and withdrawal. By evaluating how community and cultural backgrounds impact a client’s clinical presentation, multidisciplinary teams will learn to distinguish substance-induced states from primary mental health disorders. The training concludes by differentiating between brief screening and collaborative, integrated assessment, equipping providers to prioritize immediate stabilization while laying the groundwork for cohesive treatment planning.
Learning objectives
- Apply the harm reduction spectrum of care to build rapport and mitigate immediate physiological risks during community-based encounters with clients
- Demonstrate differential screening by evaluating signs of intoxication and withdrawal for major substance classifications to distinguish substance-induced states from mental health symptoms
- Use community and cultural considerations by evaluating how individual and systemic barriers impact clients’ presentation and engagement in treatment for CODs
- Compare the purpose and scope of a brief safety screening to prioritize immediate stabilization versus an integrated assessment to promote long-term care coordination
Training times
This training is provided at the time(s) and in the format(s) shown below.
