You can find a dual diagnosis treatment rehab by looking for a facility that offers personalized care, a multidisciplinary team, evidence-based treatment, a continuum of care, a soothing environment, and family involvement. The clinic should also be licensed and accredited and accept your insurance.
Key Takeaways
- Dual diagnosis is an effective treatment, addressing substance use and mental health issues simultaneously to guide lasting recovery. However, finding the right clinic is crucial.
- When finding a clinic, people should look for evidence-based care, a multidisciplinary staff, a continuum of care, affordability through insurance or payment plans, a comforting environment, and family involvement.
- Consider preparing questions in advance, so you know exactly what to ask during the vetting process.
Table of Contents
- What Is Dual Diagnosis Treatment and Why Is It Important?
- How Do I Find a Dual Diagnosis Rehab in New Jersey?
- What Questions Should I Ask Dual Diagnosis Clinics During the Vetting Process?
- Get the Care You Need at BlueCrest Recovery of New Jersey
- FAQs
Introduction
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine reveals that dual diagnosis rehab, a therapeutic approach that simultaneously targets substance abuse and mental health conditions, leads to better outcomes and lower rehab rates. But finding the right facility is essential.

Individuals should look for a facility that offers personalized comprehensive care, an integrated medical and mental health team, a calming environment, licensing and accreditation, family involvement, evidence-based approaches, and affordability. This article will explain how to find the best provider for your needs.
What Is Dual Diagnosis Treatment and Why Is It Important?
Dual diagnosis treatment involves treating addiction and mental health issues simultaneously to guide long-term recovery.
According to SAMHSA research, about 20.4 million U.S. adults had co-occurring mental health and addiction issues. These individuals typically self-medicate their emotional issues with drugs and alcohol. While substances may provide temporary relief, they often lead them on a downward spiral, worsening emotional regulation, causing legal, professional, and personal issues, and leaving them with two disorders to battle.
Dual diagnosis programs address both disorders and get to the root of the problem. They typically include detox, which breaks the physical bonds of addiction, and therapy, providing mental health services for the root cause. The approach leads to better outcomes in substance abuse treatment.
How Do I Find a Dual Diagnosis Rehab in New Jersey?
Finding a dual diagnosis treatment program in New Jersey requires looking for a continuum of care, a multidisciplinary staff, affordability, evidence-based treatment, a personalized approach, and a comfortable environment. The following sections will guide you to find a facility that’s suited to your individual needs.
Licensing and Accreditation
Licensing is a must for any clinic. Facilities in New Jersey should be licensed by the Department of Health under Title 10 of the New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C.), which includes specific regulations for substance abuse treatment programs.
Accreditations show the facility goes above and beyond to provide a high standard of care. Treatment centers are often accredited by the Joint Commission, which ensures individualized, measurable treatment plans, a safe environment, and consistent systems. The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) also often applies and looks for similar attributes, but is more specific to rehab programs.
Qualified, Multidisciplinary Staff
Integrated treatment is recommended by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. It means treating drug and alcohol addiction with a dual diagnosis approach that considers the client’s unique physical and mental health needs. Therapy is delivered by a qualified, multidisciplinary staff consisting of:
- A medical director to oversee the medical program.
- A licensed psychiatrist to manage medication-assisted treatment, when necessary.
- A licensed psychologist to provide therapy, diagnose medical conditions, and guide treatment plans.
- Licensed clinical social workers and licensed professional counselors can provide talk therapy and administrative services.
- Registered nurses offer medical oversight to guide a safe recovery.
Evidence-Based Treatments

Various treatments have been shown to yield high success rates in dual diagnosis treatment. They include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This type of behavioral health therapy focuses on correcting negative thought patterns and teaching clients coping skills to improve emotional regulation.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) takes a more mindful approach to emotional regulation, with a focus on distress tolerance.
- Motivational Interviewing: Addresses ambiguity in the treatment process and motivates clients to want to get better.
- Holistic Therapy: Many mindful practices and wellness approaches have been proven to guide successful outcomes.
- Group Therapy: Reduces isolation and helps individuals learn from each other.
Individualized Treatment Services
Addiction treatment programs should take a personalized approach, ensuring a tailored plan considering the client’s needs, goals, and progress. This can be supported by:
- A Thorough Intake Process: Clients should be thoroughly assessed at intake, considering their physical and mental health, severity of addiction, and environmental factors, ensuring care is tailored to their needs.
- Ongoing Evaluations: Facilities should continue to evaluate clients based on evolving needs and adjust care when necessary.
- Individual Counseling: A one-on-one approach allows mental health professionals to evaluate the client and assess them in a focused setting.
Continuum of Care
A continuum of care further guides a personalized approach, ensuring treatment meets clients where they are on the recovery spectrum. Levels of care are provided, and clients can step up and down through the levels as needed.
At BlueCrest, we provide a continuum of care through outpatient programs, allowing clients to get the treatment they need while living at home, as follows:
- Partial Care (AKA partial hospitalization program): These programs offer daily structure for clients who can adhere to care without 24/7 oversight. Clients attend several hours a day, several days a week, for a full-time approach to treatment.
- Intensive Outpatient Program: Typically offering three-hour sessions, three to five days a week, IOPs are ideal for individuals who show improvements without daily oversight. It is also often recommended for those who can’t step away from work and other responsibilities to enter a full-time treatment program. BlueCrest offers an evening IOP that’s perfect for individuals in this situation.
- Traditional Outpatient Services: Although this stage can be a primary form of care, it is typically recommended to help individuals maintain sobriety and emotional regulation and involves short sessions once or twice a week.
- Aftercare Planning: Recovery isn’t automatically achieved the minute clients complete the initial treatment stages; it’s an ongoing process. Many facilities continue to support clients with aftercare programs that include check-ins, resources, and alumni services.
Family Involvement and Support
National Library of Medicine research reveals family involvement, and specifically family psychoeducation, is a primary treatment for individuals with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders. Families are brought into treatment to learn more about their loved one’s condition and ensure they provide a supportive environment conducive to healing.
Comfortable, Therapeutic Setting
Rehab should be a safe space, but many find clinical environments to be triggering, increasing the risk of relapse and interfering with healing processes. BlueCrest provides an intentionally designed facility, with spaces that feel warm, comfortable, and inviting. We believe this atmosphere guides success in recovery.
When considering setting, clients can also choose from traditional and luxury dual diagnosis treatment centers. The choice is contingent on budget, previous success rates, and what feels right for you. However, comfort should always be an overriding factor.
Insurance and Payment Plans
Addiction recovery can be expensive, but insurance and payment plans help.
Insurance is available to treat mental illness and substance use disorders, but coverage varies. Talk to your provider and the treatment center in advance to find out what services are covered. BlueCrest offers a full insurance verification process before you enter treatment to ensure transparency.
If you don’t have insurance, you may talk to the clinic about payment plans or find a community clinic that offers sliding scale fees.
What Questions Should I Ask Dual Diagnosis Clinics During the Vetting Process?
During the vetting process, ask facilities about their clinical philosophies, staffing, diagnosis process, structure, transition, long-term planning, and accountability. Here are some questions to have prepared:
- How does your facility define “integrated treatment,” and what does that look like in practice for a typical patient?
- Will I have one primary point of contact coordinating my care, or will I be working with several providers independently?
- What does the intake assessment involve, and how long does it take before I have an actual treatment plan?
- How much of my week is individual therapy versus group sessions?
- How does the facility handle privacy and confidentiality among patients?
- Do you offer alumni programming or ongoing check-ins after discharge?
- What’s included in the quoted cost, and what tends to be billed separately?
- Can you share any outcome data or patient satisfaction metrics?
Get the Care You Need at BlueCrest Recovery of New Jersey
BlueCrest is a recommended source for dual diagnosis treatment. We offer evidence-based programs, a multidisciplinary staff, individualized plans, and a full continuum of care in a comfortable, non-clinical environment. Our staff is fully licensed and accredited and provides a full, no-obligation insurance verification prior to admission.
Contact us to learn more about our extensive services.
FAQs
What exactly does “dual diagnosis” mean, and is it the same as being told I have “co-occurring disorders”?
Yes, dual diagnosis and co-occurring disorders mean the same thing, and they can be used interchangeably. Despite the term, dual diagnosis isn’t actually a diagnosis; it’s used specifically to describe a combination of mental health challenges and addiction. However, dual diagnosis is used more specifically in the addiction spectrum, while co-occurring disorders can refer to multiple mental health conditions, like anxiety combined with bipolar disorder.
How do doctors tell the difference between symptoms caused by substance use and a separate underlying mental health condition?
Determining the difference between substance abuse and mental health symptoms can be extremely difficult because they overlap. Timing is the primary tool, helping clinicians understand which symptoms show up with intoxication and withdrawal, and which are more constant and linger after abstinence. DSM-5 criteria and other diagnostic tools can also help.
What should I look for to make sure a facility can actually treat both conditions, not just one?
You can ensure a facility treats both conditions by asking directly, checking for dual-licensed or cross-trained staff, asking about their assessment processes, verifying their accreditation covers behavioral health, and ensuring they provide a single, unified treatment plan.
Is dual diagnosis treatment typically covered by insurance, or treated as two separate claims?
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act ensures both mental health and addiction are treated on the same level as any other medical health need and that they are billed as a single unified program. However, you may see two claims or individual authorization processes for these services on your bill.
What role does family play in dual diagnosis treatment, and is it required or optional?
Family therapy is an essential part of treatment, but it is not required. Some people have unique situations that make it difficult to bring family members into sessions. However, it is integrated into therapy whenever possible.
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