Dual Diagnosis Information for Addiction Professionals

A detailed, 12-hour course that provides in-depth knowledge on issues related to dual diagnosis. This course provided a detailed look at the general treatment needs related to dual disorders, with specific information about pharmacological management issues.  It also provides detailed information about the more prevalent disorders that are seen in chemically dependent populations, including specific diagnostic and treatment considerations for mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and psychotic disorders .

Goals/Objectives

By participating in this DLC, the trainee will:

  1. study descriptions and diagnostic criteria for alcohol and other drug abuse and dependence;
  2. examine interactions between alcohol and other drug use and psychiatric symptoms and disorders;
  3. explore the similarities, differences, strengths, and weaknesses of the treatment systems used by patients with dual disorders: the mental health system, the addiction treatment system, and the medical system;
  4. review treatment models most frequently used in the treatment of dual disorders: sequential treatment of each disorder, parallel treatment of each disorder, and integrated treatment of both disorders;
  5. discuss the critical treatment issues and general assessment issues in providing care to patients with dual disorders;
  6. obtain an overview of the types of medications used in psychiatry and addiction medicine and for patients with dual disorders;
  7. learn about a stepwise treatment model that can minimize medication abuse risks;
  8. review cautions about drug interactions;
  9. obtain an understanding of the principle medications used in psychiatry and how they are used;
  10. create a forum to discuss practical application and special issues related to dual disorders through the use of internet technologies;
  11. review the major diagnostic features of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and psychotic disorders;
  12. understand the classification system for each of these disorders;
  13. identify treatment modalities and counseling approaches specific to each of these disorders;
  14. review and identify approaches, indications, and precautions for the use of medications for each type of disorder.

Your Course Instructor:
Kevin R. Scheel

MS, MAC, LMFT
Co-Founder, DLCAS

Kevin R. Scheel is a Masters prepared chemical dependency counselor with more than twenty-three years of experience in the human service field. He has served as the director of programs in the public sector as well as in private care facilities, both in the profit and not-for-profit arenas. He has been involved in the delivery of education services to the field since 1986 as an instructor at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas, and as a private training consultant with Hazelden. Mr. Scheel is the author of "Alcohol: Chemistry & Culture," as well as a series of education videotapes on the various drugs of abuse, published and marketed by WRS Group, Inc. He has also created a preparation and review manual that is currently in use by a variety of colleges and universities in Texas, designed to aid students preparing for their Texas chemical dependency credential.

While in Texas Kevin served as the Texas Coordinator for the federally funded Project for Addiction Counselor Training (PACT) program. For this project Mr. Scheel designed a 270 hour curriculum for beginning counselors, delivering over 45,000 hours of classroom training to 415 minority students. As a result of his efforts, 268 of these students have gone on to obtain their credentials to practice chemical dependency counseling in Texas.

Kevin also served in the position as Coordinator for the Texas Addiction Training Center (currently the Texas Addition Technology Transfer Center), a federally funded project from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment in Washington, D.C. The goal of this project has been to increase the level of addiction education to the various disciplines offering counseling services to drug and alcohol affected clients. In Texas this project worked with 8 major colleges and universities.

In addition to his role as a founder of the DLCAS, Kevin is currently serving as the Director of Educational Services for the DLCAS.