Screening and Assessment of Co-Occurring Disorders in the Justice ...

approximately two hours. Either the DIS-IV or SCID-IV may be used to providemore precise diagnostic information, as needed, if additional time is available.Staff TrainingThose working in criminal justice settings are often inadequately trained inidentification, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and supervision of individualswith co-occurring disorders. For example, screenings are often conducted bystaff who lack considerable training or experience related to mental or substanceuse disorders and who may be unfamiliar with related treatment services forthese disorders. In recent years, a specialized base of knowledge and set of skillshave been developed for working with justice-involved individuals who have cooccurringdisorders. Training in these areas should be provided for all staff whoare involved in screening and assessing for co-occurring disorders in the justicesystem.Specialized training in criminal justice settings should be considered in each of thefollowing areas:•y Prevalence, course, signs, and symptoms of co-occurring disorders•y Interaction of symptoms of mental and substance use disorders•y Strategies for enhancing accuracy of screening and assessment informationamong those who have co-occurring disorders•y Use of specialized screening and assessment instruments•y Integrated treatment approaches and other evidence-based practices•y Supervision and sanction approaches for individuals with co-occurringdisorders•y Specialized services available in the community for justice-involvedindividuals with co-occurring disorders, and procedures for initiatingreferrals for assessment and treatment services.38