“Culturally Responsive” Substance Use Treatment: Contemporary Definitions and Approaches for Minoritized Racial/Ethnic Groups

Abstract

Purpose of Review: Culturally responsive interventions are important for mitigating disparities in substance use outcomes among minoritized racial/ethnic groups, but they are poorly defined and scarcely implemented. This paper provides a dimensional definition and contemporary review of culturally responsive substance use treatment for minoritized racial/ethnic groups. Recent Findings: Contemporary culturally responsive approaches remain dominated by cultural adaptations to empirically based programs. Culturally adapted and grounded interventions are generally acceptable and efficacious but are narrowly applied. Within existing treatment settings, cultural responsiveness relies on organizational practices that value staff diversity and involve community leaders and lay health workers. Few current approaches consider Black and Asian American communities, pharmacological treatment, or improving treatment access. Summary: Despite varied approaches, culturally responsive interventions for substance use show acceptability and efficacy for youth and adults. Extending these approaches to community and pharmacological intervention will be critical to mitigating the drug overdose crisis among minoritized racial/ethnic groups.