Canadians with high risk substance use or substance use disorders and co-occurring psychiatric disorders often experience persistent and recurrent difficulties that interfere with multiple aspects of their lives. The presence of both a substance use disorder and a psychiatric diagnosis is termed Concurrent Disorders. The majority of patients admitted to inpatient psychiatry acute settings and in the ER have complex concurrent disorders.

Despite frequently presenting for care, a lack of integration and continuity, insufficient availability of appropriate programs, and a lack of adequate training results in these patients often not receiving the care they need, perpetuating their problems at great cost to themselves and Canadian society.

Research tells us that the best outcomes for individuals with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders are from integrated, comprehensive, progressive, and evidence-based services.  All psychiatric trainees and practitioners encounter people with substance use disorders co-occurring with their psychiatric disorders with sufficient frequency that their presence must be anticipated in all practice settings and skill sets developed to be able to help them. It is crucial that care is engaging, understanding, hopeful, culturally sensitive and meets the person at the stage of change that they currently are at, to hopefully facilitate their recovery. Barriers to care need to be eliminated. Each disorder should receive specific and individualized treatment, but in an integrated ​ fashion that is responsive to the patient and their support system. Care needs to be ongoing and progressive, aiming for functional recovery.