Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine what knowledge mental health therapists have on substance dependence and what treatment approaches they utilize to treat clients with co-occurring disorders. A qualitative content analysis design was used in this study. A purposive sampling method of 10 mental health therapists participated in this study. There were three main themes: 1) The majority of therapists relied on the DSM-IV as the only tool for assessing substance dependence; 2) Therapists referred a co-occurring substance dependence diagnosis to either a county agency or a private treatment center; and 3) Overall, 12-step programs were recommended by mental health therapists; however, there was ambivalence in what has been perceived as the program’s religious and/or spiritual orientation. Implications for social work practice and policy relative to this study are explored. The need for future research is also discussed.