Disparities in Access to Behavioral Health Services for Puerto Rican-Descended Adolescents

This article discusses the unique behavioral health issues facing Puerto Rican-descended adolescents in the mainland United States, and their particular challenges in accessing behavioral health services. Utilizing interview data with in-treatment and not-in-treatment youth, and with behavioral health providers who work with this population, this paper elucidates the range and scope of behavioral health needs for youth of Puerto Rican descent, and documents the social, cultural, and economic barriers faced by Puerto Rican youth and their families in accessing culturally and linguistically appropriate treatment. The paper concludes with a set of recommendations for addressing the behavioral health disparities and barriers to treatment that this population faces.