A Letter to the Editor by Keith Brown
Dear Editor:
It’s time for Suffolk County to create a Co-occurring Disorder Committee.
What is that? Simply put, it is the coexistence of both a mental illness and a substance use disorder. It is incredibly prevalent, but often ignored.
A 2022 National survey on Drug Use and Health showed that approximately 21.5 million adults in the U.S. have a co-occurring disorder. This is not entirely surprising since The National Institute of Drug Abuse estimates that approximately 50% of people with mental illnesses will develop a substance use disorder over the course of their lifetimes, and 50% of those with substance use disorders will develop a mental health condition. Juveniles with substance use disorders often have co-occurring mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.
Disturbingly, people with co-occurring disorders are unlikely to receive treatment for more than one disorder, even though research demonstrates that simultaneous, coordinated treatment for multiple diagnoses produces better outcomes compared with separate treatment for only mental illness or substance use disorder alone.
Even more frustrating is that often those that suffer from co-occurring disorders get no treatment at all.
A report from Case Western University showed that historically, people with co-occurring disorders have been excluded from mental health treatment because of their substance use disorders. Likewise, they have been excluded from substance abuse treatment because of their severe mental health symptoms.
They are trapped in a lose, lose cycle. We need to increase our focus on the needs of people with co-occurring disorders — particularly on creating an integrated treatment plan for both mental illness and substance use disorder.
It is why I am diligently working with state and county officials and the community-based providers to develop a co-occurring system of care on Long Island.
Together with early detection and integrated treatment, we can improve patient outcomes and the quality of care they receive.
It is time to end the cycle of treatment failure for these individuals. Co-occurring disorders can be treated with the right approach.
Keith Brown
Note: Keith Brown (R,C,-Northport) represents New York State’s 12th Assembly District.