Outcomes of a Residential and Community-Based Co-occurring Disorders Treatment Program

We evaluated an intensive, integrated treatment program for men with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorder, which incorporated several evidence-based interventions. Independent researchers rated transcripts from quality improvement interviews to examine recovery in five key domains: housing, education/employment, family relationships, mental health, and substance use. The final sample comprised 82 participants; 60 (73.2%) had left the treatment program, and 22 (26.8%) remained engaged in services of varying intensity. Mean length of stay was 18.2 months (SD = 20.1). A large proportion of participants recovered on each domain (ranging from n = 40, 48.8% on education/employment to n = 55, 67.1% on substance use). Those who remained in treatment for at least a year (n = 37, 45.1%), compared with those who left earlier (n = 45, 54.9%), were significantly more likely to be in recovery in each of the five domains. Men with long-term dual disorders can achieve clinical and functional recovery when they receive intensive, integrated, evidence-based interventions for at least 1 year.