The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that substance abuse is a factor in at least three quarters of all foster care placements.
Here is a summary of the report’s findings:
- Approximately 680,000 youths (2.7 percent) aged 12 to 17 have ever been in foster care.
- Youths who have been in foster care had a 33.6 percent rate of illicit drug use versus 21.7 percent for youths who had never been in foster care.
- White youths who have been in foster care were more likely than their
black counterparts to have used alcohol (41.4 vs. 29.8 percent) or any
illicit drug (36.2 vs. 26.7 percent) in the past year. - Youths aged 12 to 17 who were in need of substance abuse treatment in the past year were MORE LIKELY to have received treatment if they have ever been in foster care.
- Among youths who have ever been in foster care and were in need of substance abuse treatment, 19.1 percent received treatment in the past year. Among youths who have never been in foster care, 7.2 percent who needed treatment received it in the past year.
Rates of youths aged 12 to 17 who have ever been in foster care, by ethnicity:
- American Indian/Alaska Natives – 6.6 percent
- blacks – 4.9 percent
- Hispanics – 2.5 percent
- whites – 2.4 percent
- Asians – 0.7 percent
Access the report at The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Applied Studies.