Notes:

• NAADAC Counselor Group Skills: Clinical Intake and Screening, Counseling Services, Case management, Treatment plan, Discharge, Continuing Care and Professional Development
• Contact Hours & CEUs: 6.0 hours
• Cost: $60
• Approved by: NAADAC, TDMHSAS, TCB, and not approved for CPRS.

Treating Clients with Polysubstance Use Disorder

Polysubstance Use Disorder, which is also sometimes referred to as: polysubstance abuse and polysubstance addiction, involves the consumption of more than one drug at once.

“Polysubstance misuse often refers to misuse of multiple illicit drugs, it is also inclusive of prescription medications used in nonmedical circumstances.” (American Addictions Center, 2024) People with sometimes accidentally mix illicit drugs with prescription drugs. Other people intentionally engage in polysubstance misuse to experience greater effects from multiple substances. Oftentimes, users may have a preferred substance of misuse that they combine with other substances at times to enhance the primary substance’s effects. The mixing of different kinds of drugs is not a new phenomenon and continues to be a problem for generations, individuals, and families who are often seeking ways to cope with problems in their lives.  In some cases, these drugs of misuse have contributing factors that have a genetic link to use and abuse of multiple drugs at the same time. As healthcare professionals, we must be aware of signs and symptoms of drugs that are commonly mixed and abused and utilize effective tools to assess, diagnosis, and treat individuals with polysubstance use disorders.

Course Goals:

Quiz: “What do you know about Polysubstance Use Disorder”

1. Review the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel DSM 5-TR definition of poly substance use disorder and common drugs that are mixed that leads to polysubstance abuse.
2. Learn 2 ways associated with the danger of mixing and using several types of drugs at once: mental health and overdose factors. (Video)
3. Identify the prevalence, socio-economic, and cultural factors that impact use of multiple drugs at once.
4. Identify 2 specific substance combinations and how they impact each other.
5. To be aware of specific physical and psychological signs and symptoms of polysubstance use.
6. Discuss the challenges in diagnosis, management, and treatment of treating individuals with polysubstance use disorders. Group Activity: Mr. Q Case/Discussion
7.  Identify 2 best practice, assessment tools, treatment models, and effective resources that are needed to treat individuals with a poly substance use disorder.

Experiential activities will consist of a role play of an initial intake interview of a poly substance use disorder client, use of videos, and case scenarios discussions will be utilized throughout the presentation.

Reference: https://americanaddictioncenters.org/polysubstance-abuse

Presenter:

Dr. Lucy R. Cannon is the CEO/Owner of LEJ Behavioral Health Services, LLC, a training and consulting company in Metropolitan Atlanta. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the states of Georgia and Alabama. She has the following certifications, LCSW, CCDP-D, and MATS.  Dr. Cannon has been a clinician, supervisor, director, and consultant of mental health and co-occurring disorders programs in inpatient and outpatient healthcare organizations and psychiatric hospitals in various states in the United States and Camp Zama, Japan.  She is an Adjunct Professor at Clark Atlanta University Graduate School of Social Work.  She is also a Facilitator/Speaker for the United States Navy Reserve Command. She is a trainer for various local and national healthcare organizations.

She also serves on various healthcare organizations boards of directors, and advisory boards. She is an advocate for consumers with co-occurring disorders. She is very committed to educating students and training mental health professionals in the addiction and mental health fields.