ABSTRACT
Complex ethical and legal issues arise in the treatment of co-occurring substance use and psychiatric disorders among adolescents. This chapter charts that ethical and legal terrain, outlines general and specific response procedures, and concludes with a discussion of some of the broader policy issues raised by the co-occurrence of substance use and psychiatric disorders among adolescents. The ethical and legal issues discussed here will focus primarily on those related to consent procedures, parental involvement in treatment, threats to the safety of the adolescent or the community, and service relationship boundaries.
