A person with dual diagnosis (or “co-occuring disorders”) has both a mental disorder and an alcohol or drug problem.

These conditions occur together frequently. In particular, alcohol and drug problems tend to occur with

• • • • • Depression
        • Anxiety disorders
        • Schizophrenia
        • Personality disorders

Someone with a dual diagnosis must treat both conditions. For the treatment to be effective, the person needs to stop using alcohol or drugs. Treatments may include behavioral therapy, medicines, and support groups.

–NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Dual diagnosis services are treatments for people who suffer from co-occurring disorders. Research strongly indicates that to recover fully, a consumer with co-occurring disorder needs treatment for both problems — focusing on one does not ensure the other will go away. Dual diagnosis services integrate assistance for each condition, helping people recover from both in one setting, at the same time.

Services include different types of assistance that go beyond standard therapy or medication: assertive outreach, job and housing assistance, family counseling, even money and relationship management. The personalized treatment is viewed as long-term and can be begun at whatever stage of recovery the consumer is in. Positivity, hope and optimism are at the foundation of integrated treatment.

Listed here is a non-comprehensive list of hopefully useful services. Each case is different. NAMI South Bay does not particularly endorse or recommend any of the following. Rather, NAMI South Bay provides these links as a resource aid for those searching for these or related services in connection with any of a variety of circumstances that may involve consumers suffering co-occurring disorders.

• Peninsula Recovery — provides treatment for addiction, abuse and/or dependency of alcohol and specified drugs.
• South Bay AA Central Office — ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS® is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
• Impact in Pasadena
• Drugs Rehab.org — Drug rehab is a process that is specially designed to provide treatment in a safe and drug free environment where a former drug or alcohol abuser can be educated about addiction and how to get clean and stay clean. Although each drug rehab program may be different in their techniques and methods, all drug rehabilitation programs have the same motivating factor driving them, recovery from drug addiction and alcoholism.
• Alternatives to 12 Step Programs — For over 250 years, Americans with alcohol and other drug problems have banded together for mutual support in recovery. It began in the 1730’s. Since then, a variety of groups have come and gone, but the efficacy of self-help meetings has been well researched and proven to be effective in many ways.
• Jewish Drug & Alcohol Recovery
• Chabad Rehab Center 323.965.1365 on Olympic between Fairfax & La Brea
• The Ness Center.org The NESS Counseling Center, Inc. is a non-profit, non-sectarian community based outpatient counseling service agency that provides a full range of life-enhancing services, including, but not limited to, individual and family counseling, drug and alcohol treatment programs.
• Narconon – Narconon is a non-profit drug rehabilitation program dedicated to eliminating drug abuse and drug addiction through drug rehab, drug information and drug education.
• Beacon House Association San Pedro, CA
• The Village – Long Beach
• California Association of Alcohol & Drug Counselors
• SmartRecovery.org
• Rational.org
• Moderation.org
• Sober Recovery.com

• The Americans With Disabilities Act gives full protection to students who have suffered from drug addiction or alcoholism in the past (not using currently). Information on college policy and procedures to be used when working with these students is avail able to all faculty. Specific accommodations must be determined on a case by case basis.