Chapter List Guidelines In a nutshellAbout these guidelinesPart A: About co-occurring conditionsA1: What are co-occurring conditions?A2: How common are co-occurring conditions and why are they of concern?A3: Guiding principlesFirst, do no harmWork within your capacityEngage in ongoing professional developmentRecognise that the management of co-occurring conditions is part of AOD workers’ core businessProvide equity of access to careAdopt a ‘no wrong door’ policyRecognise that co-occurring conditions are common and all clients should be routinely screenedConduct ongoing monitoring of symptoms and assessment of client outcomesFocus on engaging the client in treatmentAdopt a holistic approach that focuses on treating the person, not the illnessAdopt a client-centred approachAdopt a trauma-informed care approachEmphasise the collaborative nature of treatmentHave realistic expectationsExpress confidence in the effectiveness of the treatment programAdopt a non-judgemental attitudeAdopt a non-confrontational approach to treatmentInvolve families and carers in treatmentInvolve peers in treatmentConsult and collaborate with other health care providersEnsure continuity of careA4: Classification of disordersPart B: Responding to co-occurring conditionsPart C: Specific population groupsAppendicesAbbreviationsGlossaryReferencesDisclaimer and acknowledgements Download full Guidelines Order a free hard copy Ensure continuity of care Download page People with co-occurring conditions often have difficulty navigating their way through the services required to address all of their needs. It is crucial that systems be established that ease clients’ transitions between services to prevent them from ‘falling through the gaps’ between services [109]. Continuity of care greatly influences whether clients feel their needs have been met and whether they are satisfied with treatment [128]. In addition to improved satisfaction, increased continuity of care is also linked to increased client commitment to treatment, better quality of life, improved community functioning, and reduced violent behaviour [128]. Chapter B5 discusses methods that may be used to refer clients to other services. Download section Previous Next