Treating Adolescents Who Have Co-Occurring Disorders

Co-occurring disorders involve the presence of one or more mental health disorder in conjunction with one or more substance use disorder. The terms co-occurring disorders and dual diagnosis are often used interchangeably (Denby, Brinson, & Ayala, 2011). In this brief, and consistent with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (USDHHS-SAMHSA; 2006) language, the term co-occurring disorders will be used.