Communities of color—American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and Black, and Hispanic/Latinx populations—continue to experience inequities related to substance use. Yet, relatively little research and policy attention have been given to identifying models of culturally and linguistically effective care that address unhealthy substance use and social service needs among communities of color, which are highly diverse. To fill this knowledge gap, we interviewed substance use service providers from 27 programs across the country to learn about care and services that engage and support people of color with unhealthy substance use in treatment and recovery and to create policy recommendations to better support high-quality care and services. We key findings describe practices, strategies, and challenges, concluding with eight urgent policy priorities for both federal and state governments.
Urban is a leader in providing evidence and solutions on the issues that affect the well-being of people and communities. Explore our insights.