Translating Evidence-Based Practice for Managing Comorbid Substance Use and Mental Illness Using a Multimodal...

Area of Science:

• Addiction Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Implementation Science

Background:

• Comorbid mental health and substance use disorders are common in treatment settings.
• These co-occurring conditions often lead to worse treatment outcomes.
• Integrated care models are needed to address this challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the Pathways to Comorbidity Care (PCC) training program.
• To outline the use of implementation science to address barriers to integrated care.
• To facilitate improved identification and management of comorbid conditions.

Main Methods:

• PCC is a multimodal training program.
• Training includes didactic seminars, workshops (e.g., motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy), clinical consultation, and an online portal.
• Implementation science principles were used to assess and overcome barriers.

Main Results:

• The PCC program incorporates diverse training components.
• An online portal provides resources like manuals, guidelines, and webinars.
• The evaluation of PCC implementation is described.

Conclusions:

• Public drug and alcohol services must be equipped to treat comorbid mental health conditions.
• The PCC multimodal training package applies implementation science.
• This program is anticipated to facilitate effective, integrated care for clients with co-occurring disorders.