Understanding Mental Illness & Co-occurring Disorders gives behavioral health staff a working knowledge of the conditions their clients live with, so they can recognize symptoms, respond supportively, and report what matters to the clinical team. Front-line staff don't diagnose, but they need to understand what they're seeing. This course covers the major categories of mental illness — mood, anxiety, trauma- and stressor-related, psychotic, and personality disorders — plus substance use disorders and the reality of co-occurring conditions. It emphasizes recognizing symptoms, the impact on daily functioning, the role of medication, and when to involve the team. The throughline: understanding leads to compassion and better support. The more you understand what a client is experiencing, the better you can meet them where they are and report what the team needs to know.