Blackburn Clinical Services offers dual diagnosis care, for mental health concerns and substance use at the same time, by secure video for clients located in California. Therapy and the Concierge Outpatient Program, a one-on-one alternative to IOP with no groups, address both together. Our only office is in Los Angeles. Psychiatric care can be arranged. Call (888) 870 7405 or email info@blackburnclinical.com.
Call (888) 870 7405
Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Ask about video care for anxiety, depression and drinking or drug use together.
What is dual diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis, also called co-occurring disorders, means a person has a mental health condition and a substance use problem at the same time. A common example is anxiety or depression alongside drinking that has become harder to control. Another is trauma alongside cannabis, stimulant or opioid use. Each condition can make the other worse: drinking to quiet anxiety can deepen it the next day, and low mood can make it harder to change a pattern of use.
SAMHSA recommends an integrated approach that treats co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions together rather than one after the other (SAMHSA). Our dual diagnosis page for Los Angeles covers our in-person work; this page explains what is possible by video across California.
Can dual diagnosis care happen by video?
Much of it can. For clients located in California, the following take place by secure video:
- Individual therapy using approaches such as CBT, DBT and ACT, chosen for the person.
- Psychoeducation on emotional regulation, relationships and relapse prevention.
- Coaching and case management to help with structure, follow-through and coordination.
- Family sessions so the people closest to you understand what is happening and how to help.
Some parts of care do not happen by video. Psychiatric care can be arranged; we explain how when you call. Outpatient detox is different: virtual detox is possible for those who qualify. It starts with an assessment by an addiction specialist physician to determine whether an outpatient level of detox is safe; if it is, clients located in California meet with the care team by video, with in-person support as an option. Higher-risk withdrawal, such as severe alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal or a history of seizures or delirium tremens (DTs), needs in-person medical care. Brainspotting, TMS and neuropsychological testing take place only at our Los Angeles office.
How does the Concierge Outpatient Program work by video?
The Concierge Outpatient Program starts with a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment. Your care team then builds a customized plan, and clients typically take part in 3 to 5 hours of focused one-on-one work each week. There are no groups and no hour requirements. Services increase or decrease based on clinical need rather than a predetermined level of care, so a hard month can bring more sessions and a stable stretch can bring fewer.
The program is an individualized alternative to IOP, not an IOP. People who have tried group IOP without lasting change, people whose work or family commitments rule out a fixed program schedule, and people stepping down from residential treatment often fit well. For the program in full, see the virtual outpatient program page.
Which level of care fits?
| Level of care | What it involves | Often fits when |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly therapy by video | One session a week with a therapist | Symptoms are real but manageable, and use is not escalating |
| Concierge Outpatient Program by video | Typically 3 to 5 hours a week of one-on-one care; no groups | Weekly therapy has not been enough, or after residential treatment |
| Group intensive outpatient (IOP), with other providers | A set schedule of mostly group sessions several days a week | Someone wants peer-based structure on fixed days |
| In-person medical withdrawal care or residential care | Medical monitoring, or 24-hour care away from home | Withdrawal may be dangerous, or home is not safe for recovery right now |
An assessment is the honest way to decide. If we think another level of care is safer, we will tell you.
When is a higher level of care needed?
Outpatient care by video is not right for everyone. Consider a higher level of care, or call a medical provider first, if any of these apply:
- You drink heavily every day, or have had shakes, sweats, a racing heart or a seizure when cutting back. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism notes that withdrawal can be painful or even potentially life-threatening and advises seeking medical help to plan a safe recovery (NIAAA).
- You use opioids, sedatives or several substances together and are thinking about stopping suddenly.
- You have thoughts of suicide or of harming someone else.
- You are seeing or hearing things others do not, or feel cut off from reality.
- Use keeps escalating despite outpatient care, or you cannot stay safe at home.
If you are in crisis now, call or text 988, or call 911 in an emergency.
Who do we see?
We see adults across California by video, including professionals whose drinking rose with work stress, people whose anxiety or depression is tangled with cannabis or stimulant use, and people coming home from residential treatment who still need structure. See also online therapy for alcohol use, online anxiety therapy and virtual outpatient care for professionals. Parents of a teen can start with teen dual diagnosis treatment.
Clients in San Francisco, Sacramento, the Bay Area and elsewhere in Northern California work with us entirely by video. We do not have offices outside Los Angeles.
How does payment work?
Care is private pay, since Blackburn does not bill insurance plans. Superbills are provided for reimbursable services so you can seek reimbursement from your plan. See fees and insurance and our private pay guide.
Questions about virtual dual diagnosis care
What is dual diagnosis treatment?
It is care for a mental health condition and a substance use problem at the same time, by the same team, rather than treating one and then the other.
Can I get dual diagnosis care by video in California?
Yes. Therapy, family sessions, psychoeducation, and coaching and case management are available by secure video for clients located in California. Our only office is in Los Angeles.
How is medication handled?
Psychiatric care can be arranged and coordinated with your therapist. We explain how it is arranged when you call.
Do you offer detox by video?
Yes, for those who qualify. It starts with an assessment by an addiction specialist physician to determine whether an outpatient level of detox is safe. If it is, clients located in California meet with the care team by video, with in-person support as an option. Higher-risk withdrawal, such as severe alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal or a history of seizures or delirium tremens (DTs), needs in-person medical care. If stopping could bring withdrawal, tell us on the first call so we can discuss safe next steps, and call 911 in an emergency.
Is the Concierge Outpatient Program a virtual IOP?
No. It is a one-on-one alternative to IOP with no groups and no hour requirements. Most clients take part in 3 to 5 hours a week.
Do I need a diagnosis or referral to start?
No. Call us and we schedule an assessment. The plan is built from that assessment.
Can my family be involved?
Yes, if you want them to be. Family sessions are part of care, by secure video or in our Los Angeles office, and we share information with family only with your written permission.
Get started
Call (888) 870 7405
Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
Email info@blackburnclinical.com or reach us online. For therapy by video without the program, see telehealth therapy in California. Blackburn Clinical Services, 12326 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066.
Crisis support: call or text 988 any time to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. For a medical emergency, call 911.
Sources
- SAMHSA: Co-occurring disorders
- NIAAA Rethinking Drinking: To cut down or to quit
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline