Enhancing Treatment Engagement of Individuals with Behavioral Health Disorders

Course overview

Each year, 1 in 4 Americans meet the diagnostic criteria for either a substance use disorder or mental health diagnosis. In 2019, over 40.2 million people sought treatment for a behavioral health disorder and it is estimated that 4.2 million people received treatment for any substance use disorder in the past year. However, an additional 18.1 million individuals met the criteria for a substance use disorder, yet did not seek out treatment (SAMHSA, 2019). When it comes to substance use and other behavioral health treatments, the dictum, "Build it and they will come" is simply not accurate. In other words, the vast majority of individuals with substance use and other behavioral health conditions are not engaged in treatment. For the vast majority of treatment programs, services and approaches are configured to address problems in individuals who are assumed to be ready to make changes in their lives. Strategies for successful engagement of clients, especially those who experience barriers to engagement, are desperately needed. While there are significant systemic barriers to engagement including the proximity and accessibility of services and high costs of care, treatment providers also influence the extent to which clients engage in treatment (Kazdin, 2017). The goal of this course is to provide addictions, behavioral health counseling, marriage and family therapy, nursing, psychology, and social work professionals in health and human service settings with information about the challenges of engagement, as well as specific strategies that they can use to promote engagement for individuals with substance use and other behavioral health conditions.