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The signs of co-occurring disorders, how the two feed each other, and what recovery can look like.
Levels of care
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
in Houston
Integrated care for co-occurring mental health and substance use at The Lovett Center. One team, one plan, both conditions treated together, while you keep living at home. Built for adults in Houston whose mental health and substance use are tangled together.
Integrated co-occurring care · Outpatient & IOP · One coordinated plan · Adults 18+ · Montrose, Houston
Who it's for
When two struggles are
really one.
Dual diagnosis treatment fits the person carrying a mental health condition and substance use at the same time, where treating just one has never quite held.
A dual diagnosis means a mental health condition and a substance use disorder are present at the same time, what clinicians also call co-occurring disorders. The two rarely stay in separate lanes. Anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or trauma can push someone toward alcohol or drugs for relief, and substance use can deepen the very symptoms it was meant to quiet. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration describes integrated treatment, care that addresses both conditions with one team, as the standard of care for co-occurring disorders.
That is how this program works. Rather than sending you to one place for the mental health side and another for the substance use, we build a single plan that treats both together. Research on co-occurring conditions finds that treating them at the same time, rather than separately, tends to make every part of treatment more effective. If you want to understand the signs and the experience first, our dual diagnosis overview walks through what it looks like and what to expect.
- You are facing a mental health condition and substance use at the same time
- You have treated one and found the other kept pulling you back
- You can live safely at home while you attend treatment
- You are working, in school, or caregiving, and need care to fit around it
- You are an adult 18 or older looking for one coordinated plan
Right-sizing your care
When integrated care fits, and
when a different level comes first
Co-occurring care is the right fit for many people, and the wrong one for some. Honest level-of-care matching is part of the work.
-
When both conditions are present at once
If a mental health condition and substance use are feeding each other, treating them in one plan is the approach research supports. That is the work this program is built for.
What dual diagnosis looks like -
When only one condition is in the picture
If substance use or a mental health condition stands on its own, a focused program may be the better starting point. After your assessment we will tell you honestly which fits.
Explore our IOP -
When more support makes sense
If you need treatment most of the day to stay stable, our Partial Hospitalization Program offers more hours in the same outpatient setting. It is a step up in intensity, not a hospital admission.
Explore PHP -
When care needs to come first
This program is not for an active crisis, medical detox, or anyone needing 24-hour supervision. Lovett does not provide on-site detox or residential care; when that level is needed first, we help you arrange it, then welcome you for step-down. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.
How your care is delivered
Integrated care, at the level
that fits you
Dual diagnosis treatment is not a separate schedule. It is an integrated approach delivered within the outpatient level of care that fits you, with both conditions treated in one plan.
| Program | Intensive Outpatient (IOP) More structure | Outpatient A lighter cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly time | 10–15 hours, about 3 days | Weekly sessions |
| Where you live | At home | At home |
| Both conditions in one plan | Included | Included |
| Integrated therapy and psychiatry | Included | Included |
| Medication coordination when needed | Included | Included |
| Best when | You need real structure to stabilize both conditions | You are stable and maintaining recovery |
| Learn more | About IOP | About outpatient |
Dual diagnosis care is also available at a higher intensity through our Partial Hospitalization Program, an outpatient-intensive level, not a hospital stay. Lovett does not provide on-site medical detox or residential care; when that is needed first, we help you arrange it and welcome you for step-down.
Conditions
What we treat
together
Co-occurring care pairs a mental health condition with substance use and treats both at once, instead of one and then the other.
Mood and substance use
When low mood and drinking or drug use reinforce each other, treated together rather than in turns.
Trauma and substance use
Trauma often sits underneath addiction. We treat the wound and the coping at the same time.
How the work happens
Therapies in dual
diagnosis care
Your plan blends evidence-based and relational therapies, matched to both the mental health condition and the substance use, never one at the expense of the other.
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Psychodynamic Therapy
Depth-oriented work that holds the whole person at once, the foundation our integrated care for co-occurring conditions builds on.
About psychodynamic therapy -
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Identify and reshape the thought patterns that drive both low mood and the pull toward substances.
About CBT -
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Build concrete skills for intense emotions, distress, and the cravings that ride alongside them.
About DBT -
Medication-Assisted Treatment
When a substance use disorder is part of the picture, FDA-approved medication can pair with therapy: buprenorphine or naltrexone for opioid use disorder, naltrexone or acamprosate for alcohol use disorder.
About medication-assisted treatment -
Group Therapy
Shared work with peers who understand both sides of co-occurring recovery, in a guided, confidential setting.
About group therapy
Insurance
Your plan may cover
more than you think.
Most major plans cover integrated outpatient treatment for co-occurring conditions. We will check your benefits and explain what they mean in plain language, at no cost and with no obligation.
Plans we accept
Coverage varies by plan and individual benefits. Verifying takes a few minutes and tells you exactly where you stand.
Getting started
Admissions in
three steps
No long intake maze. A few conversations, and you know your plan.
- 01
Reach out
Step 1
Call or send a message. We listen, answer your questions, and check your insurance benefits for you.
- 02
Comprehensive assessment
Step 2
A clinician maps both your mental health and substance use history, then recommends the level of care that fits, IOP or outpatient.
- 03
Start your integrated plan
Step 3
We build one plan that treats both conditions together and place you with the right team. You begin while keeping the rest of your life intact.
Who leads your care
Addiction medicine and
psychiatry, together
Co-occurring care needs both sides of the bench. Your plan is led by physicians and clinicians with specialized training in addiction medicine and psychiatry, the depth this work requires.
Common questions
Dual diagnosis,
answered.
Dual diagnosis means a mental health condition and a substance use disorder are present at the same time, also called co-occurring disorders. The two often interact: a mental health condition can drive substance use, and substance use can deepen mental health symptoms, which is why treating them together matters.
Understanding dual diagnosisThe most effective approach is integrated treatment, where one team treats both conditions in the same plan rather than in separate places. Addressing the mental health condition and the substance use at once is recognized as the standard of care, because treating only one tends to let the other pull a person back.
It may be time to look into dual diagnosis treatment if you are using alcohol or drugs to cope with anxiety, depression, or other symptoms, and both your relationships and your daily functioning are slipping. Persistent struggles at work, school, or home alongside substance use are a common signal. A comprehensive assessment is the surest way to know.
Yes. Treating addiction alongside depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or trauma in one coordinated plan is exactly what integrated dual diagnosis care is built to do. Individual therapy, group work, and medication coordination are combined so both sides of the picture are addressed together.
At The Lovett Center, dual diagnosis treatment is outpatient. You live at home and attend scheduled sessions through our Intensive Outpatient Program or weekly outpatient care, rather than staying overnight. Lovett does not provide on-site medical detox or residential treatment; when that level is needed first, we help you arrange it and welcome you for step-down.
It can, when medication is clinically appropriate. Psychiatric medication may support the mental health condition, and for a substance use disorder, medication-assisted treatment pairs FDA-approved medication with therapy: buprenorphine or naltrexone for opioid use disorder, naltrexone or acamprosate for alcohol use disorder. Medication is always coordinated with your therapy, never used on its own.
It depends on your needs and your level of care. In our Intensive Outpatient Program, treatment usually runs in structured cycles of about eight weeks, after which many people step down to weekly outpatient care to hold their progress. Your clinician sets and adjusts the length with you, rather than fixing it in advance.
Most major plans cover integrated outpatient treatment for co-occurring conditions, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Optum, Magellan, and TriWest. Coverage and out-of-pocket costs vary by plan, so we verify your benefits for free and explain exactly what they mean before you start.
Verify your insuranceStart the conversation
The next step is
a conversation.
If integrated dual diagnosis care in Houston sounds like the right fit, or you are not sure and want to talk it through, our admissions team is here.
- Free, confidential benefits check
- No obligation, no pressure
- Speak with a real person who knows the program
Prefer to call?
(713) 589-5991In a crisis or an emergency? Call or text 988, or call 911. This form is not monitored around the clock.