Co-occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Needs: Enhancing the Adult Needs and Strengths Assessment (ANSA) to Manage Services

Abstract

Substance use disorders (SUD) are common, affecting one in 25 adolescents (ages 12 -17), one in seven young adults (ages 18 to 25), and one in 16 adults (ages 26 and older) during 2017. 1 While 16.7% of adults without SUD experienced mental health (MH) disorders, 45.6% of adults with SUD experienced co-occurring MH disorders.1 Related research found much higher rates of adults with MH or SUD disorders (50-75%) have co-occurring disorders. 2, 3, 4, 5 Co-occurring MH and SUD make treatment more difficult, increase use of health resources, and interfere with individuals’ life functioning.2, 3, 4 In response to the opioid crisis, SUD treatment funding and services are expanding. Effective treatment requires identification of co-occurring disorders (COD). The goal of this study was to examine how well practitioners assess and identify COD in practice.