ABSTRACT
Despite the high rates of substance use disorder (SUD) among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is not unusual for SUD be overlooked in mental health services. This is often because clinicians are not systematically trained to assess for co-occurring SUD among their clients. Experts recommend for all clinicians to be trained in comorbidity assessment and that all clients presenting with PTSD are screened and assessed for co-occurring SUD (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment [CSAT], 2005). This is particularly important given that early diagnosis and treatment of SUD can improve overall treatment outcomes (Back, Brady, Sonne, & Verduin, 2006; McCauley, Killeen, Gros, Brady, & Back, 2012; Mills et al., 2012).
