COSIG CONFERENCE BROCHURE.pdf - Drexel University College ...

Planning and Implementing a Welcoming System
for Maine Adolescents and Adults with Co-Occurring
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders
Maine Statewide Memorandum of Understanding
September 2002
A. Purpose
Adolescents and adults with co-occurring disorders are sufficiently prevalent in all behavioral
health settings that they can be considered an expectation rather than an exception. The
purpose of this memorandum of understanding is two-fold: (1) to describe the principles and
core characteristics of a system of services that is welcoming for Maine adolescents and adults
with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders; and (2) to specify the action
steps that stakeholders at the state and regional levels will take to plan for and implement
such a system. It is understood that the action steps identified in this memorandum of
understanding will be implemented within the existing level of resources.
B. Definition of Terms
For the purposes of this memorandum of understanding, the following terms have the following
meanings:
1. “BDS” or “the department” means the Maine Department of Behavioral and Developmental
Services.
2. “Co-occurring disorders” means that mental health and substance abuse disorders exist in
an individual at the same time.
3. “Dual diagnosis capable” means providers who are able to provide integrated mental health
and substance abuse services to individuals with a low level of symptomatology.
4. “Dual diagnosis enhanced” means providers who have more advanced skills and training in
order to be able to provide integrated mental health and substance abuse services to
individuals with a higher level of symptomatology.
5. “Dual primary treatment” means treatment for co-occurring disorders of mental illness and
substance abuse, provided with a high degree of integration without prioritizing treatment
for one disorder over the other.
6. “Integration” means that mental health and substance abuse service providers and systems
work closely together so that individuals with co-occurring disorders receive needed
services in a coordinated, welcoming manner.
7. “Participating organizations” means organizations which have signed this memorandum of
understanding.
C. CCISC—Eight Principles
In order to provide more welcoming and accessible services to Maine adolescents and adults
with co-occurring disorders, the organizations signing this memorandum of understanding
have reached a consensus to build on the Comprehensive, Continuous, Integrated System of
Care (CCISC) model for designing systems changes in order to improve outcomes within the
context of existing resources. This model is based on eight principles (Minkoff, 1998, 2000),
which are:
1. Dual diagnosis is an expectation, not an exception. This expectation has to be included in
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