Factors associated with the availability of tailored programs for LGBT clients in substance use disorder treatment facilities in the U.S. from 2008 to 2018

Abstract

This paper examines the factors that are associated with the availability of tailored programs for LGBT clients in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities in the U.S. from 2008 to 2018. Associations were determined by using pooled odds ratios overtime from multivariable logistic regression modeling utilizing the 2008–2018 data from the U.S. National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS). In 2018, roughly one in five facilities had LGBT-specific programs; an increase of three-fold from 2008 to 2018. SUD treatment facilities that had other programs tailored for specific subpopulations, in the West, private for-profit, or owned by the federal government were more likely to have LGBT-specific programs. While the percentage of facilities offering LGBT programs increased three-fold from 2008 to 2018, differences in the characteristics of SUD treatment facilities that offer such programs remain. Eliminating these variabilities could expand tailored programs for LGBT clients in SUD treatment facilities in the U.S. and subsequently improve care quality for LGBTQ clients.