Co-Occurring Disorders

ACS 529

Instructor: Dr. George Gonzalez, Ph.D.

SYLLABUS

COURSE OVERVIEW: It is the goal of this course to provide students with an understanding of co-occurring disorders and their impact on the individual, the family and the community. The individual will be aware of the complexities’ of treating individuals with substance use disorder and psychiatric disorders. This course provides students with an understanding of co-occurring psychiatric and substance abuse disorders and their impact on the individual, family and community. We will focus on where the field is in regard to treating these disorders, on the assessment and screening for co-occurring disorders, integrating substance abuse treatment and mental health services, working with clients with co-occurring disorders, treatment settings, the most common mental disorders seen in substance abuse treatment, substance abuse induced mental disorders, common medications used for treating individuals with co-occurring disorders, and strategies for working with clients with co-occurring disorders.

TEXTBOOK: pdf assignments, PowerPoint presentations and other virtual reading assignments.

EXAMINATIONS: At the end of doing all the reading assignments the students will take a multiple choice/or True or False test.

GRADING:

91-100%    = A 
81-90%      = B 
71-80%      = C 
Below 70% = Failed

ASSIGNMENTS: To read several pdf assignments, to dread several power point presentations and other electronic virtual assignments.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

Identify factors accompanying selected mental illnesses as they relate to an individual with addiction disorder. The student will be able to identify the need for integrated treatment systems, no closed door to treatment, case management, use the DSM to identify characteristics of mental illness, and describe special issues as they relate of the substance abuse counselor working with individuals experiencing coexisting mental illness and how their families are impacted.