The Availability of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Services for Adolescents in New York State Community Health Centers

• Author: Sean J. Haley,Susan Moscou,Traci Rieckmann,Kameron Wells,Sharifa Murray
• Date: 01 January 2018
• Published date: 01 January 2018
• DOI: 10.1177/0022042617731132
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0022042617731132

Journal of Drug Issues

2018, Vol. 48(1) 78 –89

© The Author(s) 2017

Reprints and permissions:

sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav

DOI: 10.1177/0022042617731132

journals.sagepub.com/home/jod

Article

The Availability of Alcohol,

Tobacco, and Other Drug Services

for Adolescents in New York State

Community Health Centers

Sean J. Haley1, Susan Moscou2, Sharifa Murray1,

Traci Rieckmann3, and Kameron Wells4

Abstract

Adolescent experimentation with alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs is commonplace, and limited

access to screening and treatment services poses a significant public health risk. This study

identified alcohol, tobacco, and other drug services available for adolescents at community

health center sites in New York. A survey was distributed to medical and behavioral health

directors across 54 community health center organizations serving 255 primary care adolescent

sites. One third of sites required adolescent screening for substance use disorders (SUDs).

Twenty-eight percent of sites said all/nearly all (80%-100%) and 12% said most (60%-79%)

adolescents actually were screened. On-site tobacco cessation treatment and substance abuse

counseling were offered at 53% and 14% of sites, respectively. Multilevel models suggested that

community health center organizations positively influenced sites’ adolescent SUD screening

and tobacco treatment. Additional investment in adolescent behavioral health screening and

treatment is needed to reduce alcohol, illicit drug, or tobacco use among the underserved.

Keywords

community health centers, substance abuse, adolescents, alcohol, tobacco or other drugs, New

York State

Introduction

Adolescent experimentation with alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs is commonplace, and limited

access to screening and treatment services poses a significant public health risk that extends into

adulthood (S. J. Levy & Kokotailo, 2011; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration [SAMHSA], 2012). In 2012, about 25% of U.S. 12- to 20-year-olds reported

alcohol use in the past month and 16% reported binge drinking (SAMHSA, 2012). Similar

adolescent alcohol use and binge drinking rates were reported in New York (30% and 18%,

1City University of New York, New York City, USA

2Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY, USA

3Oregon Health and Science University, Portland Oregon, USA

4Community Health Care Association of New York State, NY, NY, USA

Corresponding Author:

Sean J. Haley, Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Graduate School of Public Health &

Health Policy, City University of New York, 55 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA.

Email: sean.haley@sph.cuny.edu

731132JODXXX10.1177/0022042617731132Journal of Drug IssuesHaley et al.

research-article2017