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 Adopt a non-confrontational approach to treatment Download page Sustained emotional distress can worsen a number of mental health conditions and a highly demanding or confrontational treatment approach may be harmful to those with mental health conditions [132]. Emotional distress may be triggered by criticism, rejection, or an inability to deal with task demands [145]. It is recommended instead that a non-confrontational motivational enhancement approach be used [133]. Motivational interviewing (MI) techniques are described in Appendix E. Download section Previous Next