Treatment planning for dual disorders

Abstract

Abstract Persons with dual psychiatric and substance-related disorders frequently present in crisis with a wide variety of needs that span multiple agencies, systems, and ideologies. Treatment planning often comprises a reactive response to the latest crisis rather than a proactive improvement of a continuing care plan coordinated in an interdisciplinary team. The challenge is to facilitate integrated, person-centered care that involves the client as an active, empowered, and accountable participant in the treatment planning process. A common language of multidimensional assessment that crosses the psychiatric and addiction treatment systems barriers and principles of focused, targeted care and documentation can move treatment for dual disorders in that direction.