Is Integrated Treatment of Co-Occurring Disorders More Effective than Nonintegrated Treatment?

The integrated treatment model has been touted as more effective than standard approaches to treating individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. However, most studies on the effectiveness of integrated treatment lack control or comparison groups, limiting the conclusions that can be drawn. This article reviews studies that compare the effectiveness of integrated and nonintegrated treatment of co-occurring mental and substance use disorders on substance use, mental health, and community stability outcomes. Additional research is clearly needed to determine whether integrated treatment models for co-occurring disorders are, in fact, more effective than nonintegrated models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]