Dual diagnosis treatment. Co-occurring care under one roof.
Roughly half of people with substance use disorder have a co-occurring mental health condition. Treating one without the other usually fails. At Pines, psychiatric care is not a bolt-on — it’s woven through every detox and residential program, directed by board-certified psychiatrist Sergey Litvinov, MD.
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The clinical reality for most patients in addiction treatment.
“Dual diagnosis” — also called “co-occurring disorders” or COD — describes having both a substance use disorder and a mental health condition at the same time. SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health consistently finds that roughly half of adults with SUD have a co-occurring mental health condition (SAMHSA NSDUH data).
The two conditions drive each other. Depression is treated with alcohol. Alcohol deepens depression. Anxiety is managed with opioids. Opioids disrupt mood regulation. Trauma responses are silenced with stimulants. Stimulants amplify hypervigilance. Treating only one side of this loop rarely works for long.
Not a separate level of care — an integrated capability.
At Pines, dual diagnosis is not a separate program. It is a clinical capability delivered within our two levels of care — medical detox and residential inpatient. Every admission includes psychiatric evaluation. Every treatment plan accounts for co-occurring conditions. Every therapy modality — CBT, DBT, group, family — is adapted to address both sides of the diagnosis.
This is the integrated treatment model endorsed by SAMHSA’s TIP 42 and NIDA’s common comorbidities guidance — same team, same plan, same time.
Why a psychiatrist runs this program.
Sergey Litvinov, MD
Medical Director · Board-Certified Psychiatrist
Not every addiction treatment program is led by a psychiatrist. Ours is — because dual diagnosis is the rule, not the exception, and psychiatric expertise is what the cases in front of us actually require. Dr. Litvinov evaluates every new admission, manages psychiatric medications during detox and residential, and coordinates the integration between psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy that produces real outcomes.
Five of the most common, addressed head-on.
The most common co-occurring condition. Treatment includes psychiatric medication management (SSRIs, SNRIs, others as indicated), CBT targeting depression-specific thought patterns, behavioral activation, and recognition that untreated depression is a major relapse risk.
Generalized anxiety, panic, social anxiety, OCD. Often the self-medication explanation for substance use. Treatment includes CBT for anxiety, exposure work where appropriate, medication review, and non-habit-forming pharmacological options.
Common in patients with SUD, especially women and veterans. Acute trauma processing is usually sequenced for after stabilization; DBT-informed care, grounding skills, and trauma-sensitive therapy with clinicians like Travis Gray provide the foundation.
Bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymic. Requires careful psychiatric management during detox and residential; mood stabilizers often need titration; identifying substance-induced vs primary bipolar symptoms is part of the evaluation.
Treatment includes careful medication management — non-stimulant options considered where the SUD profile warrants, stimulants when appropriate. Behavioral skills for attention, organization, and impulse control built into therapy.
Borderline personality disorder in particular benefits from the DBT framework embedded in our residential programming.
Why we treat both at the same time, by the same team.
Sequential (Rarely Works)
“Treat the addiction first, then the mental health condition.” Relapse rates are high because untreated psychiatric symptoms drive return to substance use before stabilization is sustained.
Parallel (Fragmented)
Separate teams for SUD and mental health. Communication gaps, treatment plans that contradict, patients caught between providers. Better than sequential, but limited.
Integrated (What We Do)
Same team, same plan, same facility, same time. Psychiatric and SUD care woven into every day of programming. The SAMHSA-endorsed standard of care.
What to expect during dual diagnosis treatment at Pines.
Patients entering dual diagnosis care at Pines begin with a clinical assessment completed by an attending physician. The intake establishes a complete medical and psychiatric picture, identifies co-occurring conditions, and aligns the care plan with the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) criteria for level of care.
Withdrawal is scored using validated tools — the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA-Ar) and the Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) are used most often, with frequencies set by physician order. Scoring drives medication decisions: comfort medications for autonomic symptoms, anti-emetics, non-habit-forming sleep aids, and where clinically indicated, FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD).
Daily structure includes scheduled vital-sign checks, medication administration, individual and group therapy when patients are clinically stable, meals served family-style, and protected rest. Length of stay typically ranges from five to seven days for medical detox, with some patients staying longer when withdrawal extends or psychiatric stabilization requires more time. Transition to residential inpatient happens when withdrawal scores stabilize and the patient is medically cleared.
Throughout, patients are reviewed daily by a physician, supported by 24/7 nursing, and connected with a psychiatric provider. Family communication is coordinated with patient consent. A clear, written plan for the next phase — residential, then aftercare through our partner network — is in place before discharge.
Physician-led, accredited, and built for unhurried care.
The choice of where to receive dual diagnosis matters. Patients and families weigh credentials, environment, and continuity of care alongside cost and coverage. Here is what consistently brings people to our 18,000 sq ft private clinical campus in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
Medical Director Sergey Litvinov, MD — a board-certified psychiatrist — directs clinical care. Every patient is reviewed by an attending physician, not a counselor signing off on a protocol.
Independent accreditation by the nation’s most recognized healthcare standards body. Surveyed against rigorous safety and quality standards.
LegitScript certification is the standard required by Google, Microsoft, and Meta to advertise addiction treatment. It signals an audited, transparent operator.
Depression, anxiety, trauma, and ADHD frequently co-occur with substance use. Psychiatric assessment and care run in parallel with detox, not after.
Most commercial and military plans are accepted. Verification is free, confidential, and typically completed in under 60 seconds.
Private bedrooms, dedicated medical detox wing, therapy rooms sized for real clinical work, outdoor grounds. Not a strip-mall storefront.
Authoritative references and related resources.
Clinical authorities & sources. ASAM — Clinical Practice Guidelines · SAMHSA — National Helpline · CDC — Overdose Prevention
Related Pines resources. Medical detox · Residential inpatient · Dual diagnosis · Admissions process · Insurance carriers · For families
Covered at parity. Verify in under a minute.
Under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, co-occurring mental health and SUD care must be covered at parity with medical/surgical benefits by your plan.
Verify CoverageCommon questions.
What is dual diagnosis?+
Is dual diagnosis a separate program at Pines?+
Which co-occurring conditions do you treat?+
What is integrated treatment?+
Does insurance cover dual diagnosis treatment?+
Reviewed by Sergey Litvinov, MD — Medical Director, board-certified psychiatrist. Updated April 2026.
Citations: SAMHSA TIP 42 · NIDA Common Comorbidities · CMS MHPAEA
Frequently Asked Questions
What is dual diagnosis treatment?
Dual diagnosis is the integrated treatment of substance use disorder and a co-occurring mental health condition (such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, or ADHD). At Pines, dual diagnosis support is delivered within both Medical Detox and Residential Inpatient — not as a separate level of care.
Why is integrated treatment important?
Treating substance use without addressing the underlying mental health condition often leads to relapse. Integrated treatment addresses both at once, with a single clinical team coordinating medication and therapy.
What mental health conditions are treated alongside addiction?
Most commonly depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and trauma-related conditions. Our medical director, psychiatrist Sergey Litvinov MD, leads psychiatric care.
Will I be on psychiatric medication during treatment?
Possibly, depending on your clinical assessment. Psychiatric medications are prescribed when clinically indicated, often continuing medications you were already on or starting new ones based on the assessment.
Is dual diagnosis treatment covered by insurance?
Yes, in most cases. Dual diagnosis is treated as part of medical detox and residential inpatient — there is no separate dual diagnosis billing code. Verification confirms what your specific plan covers.
How do I start dual diagnosis treatment at Pines?
Call (855) 981-8935. Mention any mental health conditions you are already aware of so we can prepare your clinical pre-assessment accordingly.
