Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders must address both issues in order to become fully rehabilitated. Some people take drugs or alcohol to relieve symptoms of mental health problems, and some people take drugs which then, in turn, brings about symptoms which mimic mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety. Addiction treatment professionals know how to differentiate between the two, and can work with clients to appropriately treat real mental health problems in tandem with any other substance abuse treatment that is done with the person. This has proven to be effective in keeping individuals with mental health problems off of drugs and mentally stable and productive.

Medicaid is a type of health insurance which is made available to individuals in certain low-income tax brackets. Eligibility for Medicaid is dependent on income and other circumstances such as whether or not the person has dependents and if they receive any other financial assistance. Medicaid may even cover the costs associated with drug rehabilitation, and there are many drug and alcohol treatment centers throughout the country which are covered through Medicaid. Many drug rehab programs which are covered through Medicaid may only deliver a limited treatment curriculum and may only supply such treatment on a short term basis, typically 30 days or less. People who have Medicaid should look for which programs cover the greatest amount of treatment for the most amount of time to reap the full benefits of a Medicaid rehab program.