ABSTRACT
Living with mental health challenges can result in a greater likelihood of using psychoactive substances at harmful levels, while in some people substance use can trigger mental health symptoms or conditions. In addition to diagnostic and treatment complexities, people experiencing mental health-substance use problems (MHSU), their family and health professionals, as well as researchers, policy and law makers and law enforcement workers are frequently faced with dilemmas involving competing beliefs, values, priorities, policies, and laws. For many health professionals and services, diagnosis is an integral part of the process of assessment with the view to treatment. The creation and use of employee assistance programs that are contracted out to private mental health professionals otherwise unconnected to the employing organisation is one way to address confidentiality concerns. In regard to MHSU, any existing or proposed intervention - including legislation, funding allocations to programs, treatment options - can be scrutinised to ask whether it does or is likely to produce healthier outcomes.
