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.