APRA and the Department of Mental Health (DMH) have partnered to create an integrated system of care for persons who are addicted to alcohol and other drugs and diagnosed with mental illness.

The Alpha Center -- DC Department of Health
1300 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Program Manager: Julia Maxwell, Telephone: (202) 727-4333
Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday, 7am - 5 pm

On April 30, 2003, Mayor Williams signed the DOH/APRA and DMH Charter and Consensus Document: Co-occurring Psychiatric and Substance Disorders. This agreement outlines an initiative to implement a Comprehensive, Continuous, Integrated System of Care (CCISC) designed by dual diagnosis national expert Kenneth Minkoff, MD. The CCISC is a systems change model that will guide both agencies in developing and implementing an action plan to move APRA, DMH and their providers toward becoming "dual diagnosis competent."

The foundation of this partnership is an inter-agency Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two agencies outlining the following elements:

• Outpatient Adult dual diagnosis services providing assessment/diagnostic services, case management, psychotherapy (group and individual), psychiatry (including psychotropic medications) and linkages to day treatment and satellite services for APRA patients.
• A Train the Trainers (TOT) program for staff at both agencies at various levels (clinical/ direct service, administration/ policy and intake) to create a "change team." The staff will be trained in the CCISC model, including the usage of the related program and clinical staff-readiness instruments.