Substance abuse among Mecklenburg County adolescents is a pervasive community challenge that leads to increased demands on our human services network, healthcare system, schools and courts For this population, there is a monumental service gap between the need for affordable treatment and the capacity of qualified providers Also for this population, one adolescent out of five has a co-occurring mental health issue such as depression, ADHD or a conduct disorder Without intervention, these youths are unlikely to reach their full potential and are at a greater risk for experiencing health, educational and legal problems