Expanding Addiction Treatment in Schools

This review by Dennis and colleagues highlights the need for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment for adolescents in the U.S.

Adolescents with SUD are under-treated; especially given the fact that early intervention exists, and has been shown to reduce lifetime substance use disorder (SUD) and related disabilities.

Dennis et al. discuss:

• the unmet need
• the consequences of the lack of treatment
• the opportunities for increased treatment (due to the passing of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2008)
• the importance of using evidence-based approaches for both assessment and treatment (evidence-based treatments, practices and programs are all proven to be successful through research)
• the challenges of identifying youth with addiction & the need for a variety of treatments to address the many needs that adolescents with SUD have

The authors review how the severity of substance use disorder is related to a broad range of school, substance, mental, health and health care utilization problems, looking at 3 additional studies that supported the importance and need for treatment among adolescents and how using evidence-based treatment and practices in school setting could be integrated and used more.

IN CONTEXT

Substance use disorder is an endemic, high volume, high burden, public health problem.

The disorder typically onsets during adolescence, and similar to other medical illnesses, early intervention has been shown to reduce the chronicity and impact of substance use disorder.

Consequently, being able to detect and intervene early with substance-related problems is likely to yield significant public health dividends. School settings are an essential place to do this, and the use of evidence-based screening, assessment, and interventions are increasing.

CITATIONS

Dennis, M. L., Clark, H. W., & Huang, L. N. (2014). The need and opportunity to expand substance use disorder treatment in school-based settings. Advances in school mental health promotion, 7(2), 75-87.