Background and Significance of ENCOMPASS
Among adolescents and young adults with substance use disorders, co-occurring mental health problems are the rule rather than the exception.
A number of evidence-based treatment modalities have been developed for adolescents with substance use disorders but are limited by the lack of comprehensive diagnostic assessment and fully integrated treatment of co-occurring psychiatric conditions.
Thus despite a growing consensus that the treatment of mental health problems and substance use disorders should be integrated, previously developed interventions have not been designed to address both problems.
Untreated psychiatric comorbidity is associated with poorer substance treatment outcomes, lower abstinence rates and higher relapse rates.
Similarly, a number of evidence-based treatment interventions have been developed for psychiatric disorders that commonly co-occur in adolescents and young adults with substance use disorders including ADHD, depression, and anxiety disorders. However, these interventions do not concurrently address treatment of substance use disorders.
A team of researchers and clinicians at the University have developed a fully integrated research-based intervention for young people with co-occurring substance and mental health problems that can be implemented in 'real world' community-based mental health, substance treatment, and school-based settings.