Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Treatment Completion for Youths with and without a Psychiatric Comorbidity

The current study sought to examine the comorbidity of substance misuse and a mental health problem among adolescents and young adults, aged 15–24. It also sought to examine racial/ethnic disparities in substance abuse treatment completion among non-Hispanic White, African American, and Hispanic youths with and without a psychiatric comorbidity. The 2014 Treatment Episode Data Set – Discharges (TEDS-D) was used (N = 207,578). Results show that 32.6% of youths entering substance abuse treatment had a psychiatric problem and only 34.8% of all youths completed treatment. Racial/ethnic disparities were found between youths with and without a psychiatric comorbidity in treatment completion.