Systems of Care for Treatment of Adolescent Substance Use Disorders: Background, Principles and Opportunities

Adolescent substance abuse is a serious social problem facing the United States. Despite numerous recent advances in the clinical effectiveness of treatment approaches for this population, not enough attention has been paid to the adolescent treatment and service delivery infrastructures. The right services must be delivered through carefully organized and systematic community partnerships among agencies that serve the youth and families most in need. This article provides a working definition for the systems of care approach, reviews the movement's history within children's mental health services, addresses the feasibility of using the systems of care model for adolescent substance use disorders, and discusses principles and elements essential for successfully implementing a system of care for treatment of adolescent substance use disorders.