National Trends In Adolescent Substance Use Disorders And Treatment Availability: 2003-2010

This study examines trends in adolescent substance use disorders (SUDs) and treatment utilization in the United States using data from the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and data from the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS). Results indicate an overall decrease in the percentage of adolescents meeting past-year criteria for an alcohol or illicit drug disorder between 2003 and 2010, but the percentage of adolescents meeting criteria who had not received any treatment in the past year was substantial and has remained stable since 2003. In 2010, fewer than 30% of facilities participating in the N-SSATS indicated that they offered special programming for adolescents, reflecting an overall decrease since 2003.