People with co-occurring serious mental illness and substance abuse often do not recognize that they need treatment, a new report fro the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) indicates. The report shows that 61 percent of those with both serious mental illness and a substance use disorder who have not received treatment for either illness, perceived no unmet for treatment.

The new report, “Adults with Co-Occurring Serious Mental Illness and a Substance Abuse Disorder” was unveiled at a recent conference in Washington , D.C. on the complexities of co-occurring medical conditions. The three-day conference was sponsored by SAMHSA, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

The data show that more than half (52 percent) of the four million adults 18 and older with co-occurring serious mental illness and a substance abuse disorder received neither mental health nor specialty substance abuse treatment during the past year. An estimated 34 percent only received treatment for mental disorders, 2 percent only received specialty substance abuse treatment, and close to 12 percent received treatment for mental and substance abuse disorders.

SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie, in unveiling the report, said, “The time has come to ensure that all Americans who experience co-occurring mental and substance use disorders have an opportunity for treatment and recovery. Unfortunately, there continue to be many barriers to appropriate treatment and support services. Clearly our systems of services must continue to evolve to reflect the growing evidence base that promotes integrated treatment and supportive services. Both disorders must be address as primary illnesses and treated as such.”

The report notes that 17.5 million adults (8 percent of adults) aged 18 or older were estimated to have serious mental illness in 2002. Of these, 4 million (12 percent of adults with serious mental illness) were also dependent on or abused alcohol or an illicit drug. Among adults without serious mental illness, the rate of dependence or abuse was only about 8 percent.

For a copy of the report, go to www.oas.samhsa.gov

If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact Beth Powell , AMHCA Director of Public Policy and Professional Issues, at 800-326-2642, ext. 105 or by e-mail at bpowell@amhca.org