What is a Co-Occurring Disorder?

Kennebec Behavioral Health’s Substance Abuse and Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment Program is designed to serve adolescents, adults and families whose lives have been disrupted by the misuse, abuse and dependence of/upon substances. The focus is on assisting in:
(1) assessing problems associated with the use of substances;
(2) initiating the development of the desire for appropriate change;
(3) increasing knowledge regarding substance use/abuse/ dependence; and
(4) developing the skills necessary for preventing the further misuse/abuse of or recovering from dependence upon substances.

The Co-Occurring Disorder Program’s primary target population is adults and adolescents who use/misuse, or are at risk of use/misuse of addictive drugs (including alcohol, tobacco, illegal substances, and prescribed medications), who are also diagnosed with a mental illness. Seventy percent of the clients served in the substance abuse program in FY 2007 also had cooccurring disorders.

Persons dually-diagnosed with mental illness and substance abuse are at much greater risk of medical problems than the general public and are less able to obtain and maintain employment. The program provides services at the KBH clinics at 66 Stone Street, Augusta, 736 Old Lewiston Road, Winthrop, 30 High Street, Skowhegan and 67 Eustis Parkway, Waterville.

KBH’s Substance Abuse Treatment Services include:

Screening/Assessment/Evaluation:
Screening is usually community or other KBH service-based and involves identifying “at-risk” individuals. Assessment is a more extensive process designed to determine those “at-risk” clients who would benefit from treatment services. Evaluation is designed to determine severity and develop a plan of action including addressing co-existing conditions.

Psycho-Education:
Individual and/or group treatment provides individuals and families an opportunity to gain the desire, knowledge and skills necessary to solve problems and resolve conflicts related to substance misuse/abuse/ dependence and co-occurring conditions.

Individual/Group/Family Therapy:
An individualized approach provides each client with a specific mix of substance abuse and dual-diagnosis treatment modalities. The program’s integration of services for persons who have mental health concerns cooccurring with substance abuse problems has substantially improved the functioning of the clients served by this Kennebec Behavioral Health service. Professional staff pictured here provide treatment within the Substance Abuse and Co-Occurring Disorders Program.