Co-occurring disorders: mental illness combined with an addiction to alcohol and/or drugs.

Co-occurring addiction and mental illness exacerbate each other, yet those who suffer from both do not always receive the treatment they need to effectively address both issues. The lack of adequate treatment comes at a great cost to the people’s families and employers, to the health system — and to taxpayers. Project Ninety’s cuttingedge Co-Occurring Disorders Program is a solution available to these people.

By treating both issues simultaneously Project Ninety helps these people from getting caught in a taxpayer-supported revolving door of law enforcement, mental health agencies, substance abuse treatment and social services. Having a Co-Occurring Disorders Program allows Project Ninety to provide the individualized attention that is critical to someone who may be new to any type of treatment at all.

This intensive approach offers focused counseling and treatment specific to mental illnesses and addiction and allows the time and individual attention that is necessary to effectively treat both. A person is encouraged to accept responsibility for their mental health and understand how it interacts with their addiction. With simultaneous treatment of both issues a person can integrate the tools that are necessary to their management of both diseases.

Individuals with co-occurring disorders who are not in treatment are likely to access expensive emergency psychiatric services. They often require assistance from emergency service responders who are accompanied by police. In other words, they are stressing an already strained system. Project Ninety’s Co-Occurring Disorders Program relieves the pressure on the system by making high quality treatment accessible and affordable.

While in treatment, a person learns boundaries and recovery skills through firm but gentle guidance. They learn how to create and maintain support networks. Counselors work with each person to overcome any stigma they may experience because of their mental illness.

Established in 1990, this component of Project Ninety is a premier example of social model treatment that provides services for people who might otherwise go untreated. In fact, Project Ninety was one of the first agencies to provide treatment to those with co-occurring disorders in San
Mateo County.

The Co-Occurring Disorders Program is one of Project Ninety’s more expensive programs because it depends on a broad array of resources to help clients. For the person, this program empowers him or her while establishing and supporting their ability to maintain recovery; for the family, the program returns a healthier child, spouse and parent; and for the community, the Co-Occurring Disorders Program has a huge positive impact by lowering the demand on county- and city-supported services and the associated costs.

What the future holds...

In 2004, Project Ninety expanded its Co-Occurring Disorders Program to serve 23 people by providing services in both Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Project Ninety plans to continue to increase its services, which directly affects its ability to meet the increasing demand to treat this underserved population. By 2010, Project Ninety hopes to double its co-occurring disorders capacity to 50 beds.

Daryl: Project Ninety Alumnus, 2002

“When I came to Project 90, I was ready to
surrender my addiction. Life was unbearable and I was extremely depressed,” confides Daryl. With smaller groups and a tighter focus than the Primary Program, Daryl says the Co- Occurring Disorders Program made it harder to slip through the cracks and easier for him to concentrate on recovery. Now working parttime and just five classes away from completing his bachelor’s degree, Daryl is thoroughly involved in AA, has service commitments, plays on a softball team, and is an active dad to his 12-year-old daughter. “Project 90 opened my eyes to a new way of life. People there inspired me to try to achieve other things in life and to work towards goals, which I’m now doing,” he adds.”