COD-01 — Foundations of Co-Occurring Care

Foundations of Co-Occurring Care opens CareCertify's Co-Occurring Disorders 12-Hour Series — Minnesota 245G co-occurring disorders training built for licensed substance use disorder treatment programs. Co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders are the rule in SUD treatment, not the exception: roughly half of people with a substance use disorder will also experience a mental health disorder. This lesson establishes the philosophy that the rest of the series builds on — both disorders are primary, and they are treated together by one team in one plan. The course explains Minnesota's 12-hour co-occurring disorders training requirement under Minn. Stat. 245G.13, subd. 2(f) — who it covers (treatment directors, supervisors, nurses, and counselors), the six-month deadline for new staff, and how prior training credit is documented. It then contrasts the three approaches to treating co-occurring disorders — sequential, parallel, and integrated — and shows why integrated treatment keeps clients engaged, reduces crises, and builds recovery that lasts. Staff learn the "no wrong door" principle, the six ways the two disorders feed each other, the attitudes and language that make integration real, and the clear limits of each role: notice, screen, refer, and consult — never diagnose alone.

Learning Objectives

• Define co-occurring disorders and explain why both conditions are treated as primary
• Describe Minnesota's 12-hour co-occurring training rule and who it applies to
• Contrast integrated care with parallel and sequential approaches
• Explain 'no wrong door' and what it means for your program
• Recognize how untreated mental health symptoms undermine SUD recovery
• Identify your role on the integrated team — and its limits