Services to Patients with Dual Diagnoses: Findings from Washington's Mental Health Service System

Author： Ouimette Paige Jemelka Ron Hall Judy Brimner Karl Krupski Antoinette Stark Kenneth

ISSN： 1082-6084

Source： Substance Use & Misuse, Vol.42, Iss.1, 2007-01, pp. : 113-127

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

This study examined how Washington State's (WA) mental health treatment system provided services to patients with substance use disorders or dual diagnoses at several stages of care: crisis commitment, hospitalization, and outpatient treatment. A total of 30 key informants from urban and rural areas were surveyed between February and July 2004 using semi-structured interviews. Key informants represented direct service providers to chief operating officers. Themes, consensus, and disagreements were summarized. Results indicated that best practices are not consistently implemented and administrative and provider barriers hinder provision of more effective care. Findings highlight that work on how to best implement evidence-based practices is critical to improving care of dual diagnosis patients. Limitations of the study are noted as well as future research directions.