Substance Use Treatment for non-speaker of the native language: Implications for migrants and the displaced

Individual and group counselling alongside pharmacotherapy and urine drug testing are the mainstay of most substance use treatment programs worldwide. However, globalization, warfare and a shifting economic dynamic have caused mass migration and forced displacement of people to countries that do not speak their native language or share their cultural norms. Existing research suggests that multiple barriers contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in receipt and outcomes of SUD care, a finding that will be particularly highlighted given the current circumstances. This poster aims to highlight specific barriers facing this population, successful experiences in incorporation of patient cultures in program approach to care and a successful transition to aftercare for SUD patients from different cultural and linguitic backgrounds from the care provider.