Oregon Research Institute

Early Intervention for Minors in Possession of Alcohol/Drugs: A Feasibility Study

Investigators are collaborating with the juvenile justice divisions of Clackamas and Washington counties in Portland, Oregon to evaluate two brief, sustainable interventions for adolescents charged with an initial drug-related offense. All participants will be recruited directly from juvenile justice system referrals.

Details

As the Department of Health and Human Services studies have shown, more than 90% of the estimated 2.6 million adolescents with substance abuse or dependence go untreated each year, pointing to a serious treatment gap in adolescent health care. In the current context of limited resources, increasing demand for services, increasing burdens on state budgets, and significant economic turmoil, there is a clear need for identifying and implementing the most accessible, low cost, effective treatments that can be transported easily into community settings. Because the juvenile justice system is the primary avenue for adolescents gaining entry into treatment, intervening with adolescents referred to juvenile justice for their first drug-related offense represents a vital opportunity to prevent an escalating trajectory of substance use, thereby providing significant public health benefits.