Dual diagnosis treatment at Villa Wellness Center is integrated care for adults with co-occurring substance use disorder and mental health conditions, delivered at our facility under one clinical team. Both conditions are treated at the same time across all levels of care. We work with most major insurance plans; call (844) 609-3035 to verify benefits.
What is dual diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis is the clinical term for having both a substance use disorder and one or more mental health conditions at the same time. The mental health condition can predate the substance use, develop alongside it, or be partially driven by it; clinicians often cannot determine which came first, and treatment does not require knowing the answer. Common combinations include alcohol use disorder with depression, opioid use disorder with anxiety, stimulant use with bipolar disorder, and any substance use overlapping with trauma history or PTSD.
The term ‘co-occurring disorders’ is used interchangeably with dual diagnosis in current clinical literature. SAMHSA estimates that roughly half of adults with a substance use disorder also have a diagnosable mental health condition. Integrated treatment, addressing both conditions together with the same clinical team, has better outcomes than treating either condition in isolation or sequentially.
Symptoms and signs of dual diagnosis
Dual diagnosis can be hard to recognize because the symptoms of substance use and the symptoms of mental health conditions overlap and mask each other. Common signs that point toward a co-occurring condition rather than substance use alone include persistent depression, anxiety, or mood instability that does not improve with sobriety. Symptoms of substance use disorder should ease as use stops; mental health symptoms that persist after 30+ days of sobriety often indicate a separate condition.
Trauma symptoms that drive substance use are common in adults with PTSD or complex trauma history. Intrusive memories, flashbacks, hypervigilance, dissociation, and the impulse to use substances to numb these symptoms are signals that trauma work and addiction treatment need to happen together.
Repeated relapse after substance-only treatment often reflects an unaddressed mental health condition, not a failure of willpower or program quality. Prior mental health diagnoses that predate substance use, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and PTSD, almost always require integrated treatment rather than substance-only care. Self-medication patterns are also strong signals of an underlying mental health condition.
Who dual diagnosis treatment is for
Dual diagnosis treatment at Villa is for adults whose addiction overlaps with one or more diagnosed or undiagnosed mental health conditions. The most common combinations we treat are alcohol or opioid use disorder with depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, or trauma history.
People who benefit most from integrated dual diagnosis care typically meet at least one of these conditions: a prior mental health diagnosis that predates substance use, persistent depression or anxiety that does not resolve with sobriety alone, trauma symptoms that drive substance use, or multiple unsuccessful prior treatment attempts where the mental health side was not the primary focus.
You do not need a formal diagnosis to start. The intake assessment screens for mental health conditions alongside substance use, and the treatment plan reflects what the assessment surfaces.
What dual diagnosis treatment at Villa looks like
Treatment runs across the same continuum used for substance-only care, with mental health treatment integrated at every level. Medical detox handles acute withdrawal and screens for psychiatric stabilization needs. Residential and partial hospitalization run intensive individual and group work alongside medication management. Outpatient and intensive outpatient continue the integrated plan after step-down. The same clinical team oversees both sides.
The integrated treatment plan is built during intake by a team that includes the medical director (Dr. Scott), the clinical director (Danielle Decembrino, LSW, LCADC, CCS, CTP, CMIP), and a psychiatric nurse practitioner (Robert Briglia, MS, APN) where psychiatric medication is part of the plan. Plans are reviewed every few weeks and adjusted based on which symptoms are responding.
Sessions combine individual therapy with group programming. Individual sessions use the modality matched to your specific issues; group work covers shared skill-building, peer support, and 12-step or alternative recovery frameworks. Medication management runs alongside therapy when clinically indicated.
Evidence-based modalities we use in dual diagnosis care
Villa’s dual diagnosis program uses the same five evidence-based therapy modalities used in individual therapy, applied to the combined clinical picture. Medication management is added when psychiatric medication is part of the treatment plan.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is the most-evidenced modality for substance use disorder and one of the strongest for depression and anxiety. In dual diagnosis work, CBT identifies the thought patterns driving both substance use and mood symptoms, then builds practical interrupt strategies.
Solution-Focused Therapy.
Used in dual diagnosis care to build forward momentum when depression or anxiety has made progress feel impossible. The therapist focuses on what is already working in your life and how to build on it.
Trauma-Informed Therapy
Trauma underlies a significant portion of dual diagnosis cases. Trauma-informed care prioritizes physical and emotional safety, moves at your pace, and processes traumatic experiences without re-traumatization. Many co-occurring symptoms ease once trauma is addressed directly.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT teaches mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Particularly effective for dual diagnosis cases involving borderline personality disorder, chronic suicidality, or intense emotional dysregulation alongside substance use.
Art Therapy.
Gives access to thoughts and emotions that resist words, especially useful in trauma-related dual diagnosis cases. No artistic background needed. Used alongside other modalities rather than as a standalone approach.
Treatment approach comparison
Adults entering dual diagnosis treatment face one central treatment-philosophy decision: should substance use and mental health be treated together (integrated) or one after the other (sequential)?
Integrated treatment vs sequential treatment: which works better for dual diagnosis?
Dimension | Integrated treatment | Sequential treatment |
Approach | Substance use and mental health treated together by one clinical team | Substance use treated first, mental health treated after (or vice versa) |
Duration | Single treatment plan running across the continuum | Two separate treatment plans, often with months between |
Best for | Adults whose substance use and mental health interact (most dual diagnosis cases) | Cases where one condition is stable and the other is acute and isolated (rare) |
Outcomes data | Stronger long-term recovery and lower relapse per current SAMHSA and ASAM guidance | Higher dropout between phases; mental health symptoms can drive relapse during the gap |
Provider continuity | Same team across both conditions throughout treatment | Different providers for each condition, with coordination gaps |
Insurance handling | Single authorization per level of care | Separate authorizations, often with re-verification between phases |
Integrated dual diagnosis treatment is the current standard of care across SAMHSA, ASAM, and NIMH practice guidelines. Sequential treatment, where one condition is treated to stability before the other is addressed, is used in narrow clinical scenarios but is not the recommended default. Villa delivers integrated care across PHP, IOP, and outpatient with the same clinical team throughout.
How dual diagnosis fits the rest of treatment
Dual diagnosis treatment runs across Villa’s full continuum. The same care plan applies at every level, with intensity scaled to clinical need.
Insurance coverage for dual diagnosis treatment
Villa Wellness Center works with most major insurance plans. Dual diagnosis treatment is typically covered at the same level as substance-only care because mental health parity laws require it under most commercial plans. Coverage depends on your specific plan and the level of care your treatment plan calls for. We verify your benefits before treatment begins, free of charge and confidentially.
Call (844) 609-3035 or use the form on this page to start verification. Verification typically takes about 15 minutes. If your plan does not cover the program at our facility, our admissions team can discuss self-pay options.
Plans we work with: Aetna · Blue Cross Blue Shield · Cigna · Humana · United Healthcare
Dual diagnosis treatment for Camden County and surrounding areas
Dual diagnosis treatment in New Jersey at Villa Wellness Center serves adults across Camden, Gloucester, and Burlington counties from our Sicklerville facility. An estimated 17.9 percent of adults in Camden County report binge drinking according to CDC PLACES 2022 data, and the county’s rates of diagnosed depression and anxiety run above state averages. The combination is exactly the population dual diagnosis treatment is built for.
We serve South Jersey, including Sicklerville, Blackwood, Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Gloucester Township, Pine Hill, Berlin, Clementon, Stratford, and Somerdale in Camden County; Williamstown, Glassboro, Washington Township, Sewell, and Turnersville in Gloucester County; and Mount Laurel, Marlton, Medford, and Moorestown in Burlington County. The facility is accessible via the Atlantic City Expressway and Route 42.
If you are looking for dual diagnosis treatment centers in NJ that integrate substance use and mental health under one team, our admissions team can complete a phone assessment, verify your benefits, and coordinate admission within 24 to 48 hours for higher levels of care.
FAQ's
Frequently Asked Questions
What is dual diagnosis treatment?
Dual diagnosis treatment is integrated care for adults who have both a substance use disorder and one or more mental health conditions. Both conditions are treated at the same time, by the same clinical team, rather than addressed in separate programs or sequentially. Integrated care has stronger outcomes than treating either condition alone.
What mental health conditions do you treat alongside addiction?
Villa treats co-occurring depression, anxiety, PTSD, trauma history, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and other diagnosed and undiagnosed mood conditions. The intake assessment screens for the full clinical picture and the treatment plan addresses everything that surfaces.
How do I know if I need dual diagnosis treatment?
If you have a mental health condition that predates substance use, persistent depression or anxiety that does not resolve with sobriety alone, trauma symptoms that drive substance use, or repeated relapse after substance-only treatment, dual diagnosis care is the right fit. The assessment confirms the clinical picture.
Will I see a psychiatrist or just a therapist?
Both, when clinically indicated. The treatment plan is built by a team that includes the medical director, the clinical director, and a psychiatric nurse practitioner who prescribes and manages medication. Therapy is provided by licensed clinicians using the modalities matched to your specific issues.
Can I be on psychiatric medication during addiction treatment?
Yes. Psychiatric medication is part of dual diagnosis care when the clinical picture calls for it. SSRIs, SNRIs, mood stabilizers, and non-stimulant options are commonly used.
Does insurance cover dual diagnosis treatment?
In most cases, yes. Federal and state mental health parity laws require most commercial insurance plans to cover mental health and substance use treatment at the same level as physical health care. We verify your benefits free of charge before admission.
How long does dual diagnosis treatment take?
It depends on the level of care and clinical complexity. Medically supervised stabilization is typically 5 to 7 days. The 24-hour structured care phase averages 28 to 45 days. PHP and IOP run for several weeks to several months. Outpatient continuing care often continues for a year or more. The duration is set by clinical need.
How do I get started?
Call (844) 609-3035 to speak with admissions, or use the form on this page to start insurance verification. The admissions team reviews fit, confirms benefits, and schedules an initial assessment. Higher levels of care can often be coordinated within 24 to 48 hours.
Dr. Courtney Scott
Medical Director
Dr. Courtney Scott
Medical Director
Medically Reviewed By
Dr. Courtney Scott, MD. Board-eligible in Addiction Medicine, Medical Director at Villa Wellness Center. Full bio at about-us/our-team/
Reviewed for clinical accuracy against current guidelines from the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the National Institute of Mental Health.
Start dual diagnosis treatment in Sicklerville
If you are looking for integrated treatment for substance use and mental health, call (844) 609-3035 to speak with admissions or use the form on this page to start insurance verification. Most admissions happen within 24 to 48 hours for higher levels of care.