LADC exam — the co-occurring disorders section is where I found my gap

Co-occurring content has grown in the LADC exams over the last few years because the field has moved toward integrated care models. My estimate from recent prep materials is about 20-25% of questions touch on co-occurring presentations, screening tools, or treatment coordination. Not the majority but enough that surface-level knowledge will cost you.

The trauma-SUD overlap is the section most residential SUD counselors are undertrained on unless they've specifically worked in trauma-informed care settings. The ACE framework and trauma-informed care principles in the context of SUD treatment are worth a solid review.

PHQ-9, GAD-7, AUDIT, DAST — knowing when to use which screening tool and how to interpret results in a co-occurring context is specifically testable. Not deep clinical knowledge but applied screening competency.

Three years of residential treatment experience means your core SUD knowledge is solid. Co-occurring content is a focused gap, not a broad one. A few weeks of targeted review on co-occurring screening and integrated treatment models should be enough to fill it.