Employee & Family Resources recently launched a new program to meet the rising demand in Central Iowa for integrated substance abuse and mental health counseling. The addition of outpatient substance abuse services to EFR’s existing outpatient mental health counseling allows the organization to fill a service gap in the community, the organization said. “Regardless of the client’s primary concern, whether it’s substance use or a mental health issue, our program can address either or both issues simultaneously,” said Shannon Evers, clinical director for EFR’s counseling program. Approximately 40 percent of individuals with a substance use disorder also have some form of mental illness or co-occurring disorders, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.