Treating Substance Use Disorder in Individuals With Intellectual Disability: A Regional System Capacity Assessment.
California's referral hubs offer almost no drug treatment tailored for clients with intellectual disability.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The authors called every regional center and state-vendored drug program in California. They asked: Do you serve clients with both intellectual disability and substance-use disorder? If yes, what do you offer that is different from standard care?
They also asked staff to rate their own training and confidence. The survey took 15 minutes. Ninety-three sites answered.
What they found
Only one in five sites had any special plan for clients with IDD. Most offered just physical changes, like wheelchair ramps. None offered evidence-based SUD treatment adapted for cognitive limits.
Staff gave themselves low scores on IDD knowledge. The top barrier was 'no training.'
How this fits with other research
Chiviacowsky et al. (2013) already warned that alcohol and tobacco studies for this group were thin. The new data show the gap is still wide open twelve years later.
Wilkinson et al. (2012) found family doctors felt 'overwhelmed' by IDD patients. The same feeling now shows up in drug counselors.
Jackson et al. (2025) tracked Ontario healthcare during COVID-19. Adults with IDD used more services than peers, yet still hit walls. Eldridge et al. (2025) mirror this pattern in California SUD care.
Why it matters
If you write a referral for a client with both IDD and SUD, do not assume the local program knows how to help. Ask what they will change: simpler language, shorter sessions, picture schedules, or incentives. Push for a written plan. Until programs add IDD training, you may need to coach them or build the plan yourself.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Call the next SUD program on your referral list and ask, 'What specific changes do you make for clients with IDD?'
02At a glance
03Original abstract
This mixed-methods study assessed substance use disorder (SUD) treatment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities within California's regional center system. The system is the primary organization in California that coordinates and monitors services for these individuals. Data were solicited from the 21 service centers in the system and six vendored programs overseeing SUD services. This article reports on those programs and analyzes qualitative data from seven service coordinators regarding overall SUD treatment. Both the programs and the coordinators identified 0barriers to treatment, such as a lack of training and inadequate service structures. Despite being formal referral targets, these programs often only offered adaptations for physical access. Proposed solutions included interagency collaboration and adopting a biopsychosocial model of care.
Intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.1352/1934-9556-63.5.384