Integration of Substance Use Disorder Treatment Into a Traditional Community Mental Health Treatment System

In response to the opioid crisis, Catholic Charities of Baltimore sought to integrate substance use disorder treatment into their outpatient community mental health clinics. The agency developed a systematic practice improvement strategy that included a competency-based curriculum and supervision plan for psychiatric providers and therapists. Psychiatric providers developed competency with medications used to treat substance use disorders, and therapists developed competency in therapeutic modalities to treat substance use disorders, all of which were gradually integrated into outpatient clinics. This column demonstrates that integration of substance use disorder treatment into outpatient community mental health care is feasible and beneficial.