Meeting the Unique Needs of Youth With Substance Use Disorder: New ASAM Guidelines

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Criteria has established an updated set of guidelines for treatment standards and admission criteria for youth with substance use disorder (SUD): The Adolescents and Transition-Aged Youth volume. However, Stephen Mateka, DO, the Child and Adolescent Section Editor for Psychiatric Times, believes this new set of guidelines is more about meeting current standards than setting a new precedent for treatment of youth SUD. Mateka shared that the guidelines will help meet current standards for youth by focusing on developmentally appropriate care and primary and secondary prevention techniques.

Approximately 1.86 million adolescents aged 12 to 17, or 7.2% of teens nationwide, report using drugs within the past month.¹ This is especially problematic when research shows that exposure to alcohol and drugs during neurological development may interrupt key processes of brain development.²

Additionally, Matkea noted, substance use is more prevalent where mental health treatment is lacking, affecting vulnerable populations. He stressed the need for a systematic approach to support youth and the role of payment models in ensuring access to necessary services. He also emphasized the importance of validating patients' experiences and avoiding judgmental or dismissive attitudes.

Dr Mateka is the child and adolescent section editor for Psychiatric Times.

References

1. Drug use among youth: facts & statistics. National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. Accessed April 13, 2026. https://drugabusestatistics.org/teen-drug-use/

2. Squeglia LM, Jacobus J, Tapert SF. The influence of substance use on adolescent brain development. Clin EEG Neurosci. 2009;40(1):31-38.