Alcohol and substance use in the Mexican American population: Effects on court-mandated referral to services

The purpose of this study was to investigate how court-mandated referrals to mental health services among Mexican Americans are contingent upon type of substance use and place of birth. Data from the Mexican American Prevalence and Services Survey, a large-scale project that took place in California's Central Valley, was used to research these variables. The general hypotheses were that rates of court-mandated referrals to mental health services among Mexican Americans would differ significantly based on their place of birth (Mexico vs. United States) and type of substance use (alcohol only vs. co-occurring drug and alcohol). Chi-square tests of independence were conducted to test the hypotheses, and no significant contingencies were found. As a result, it was concluded that within the Mexican American population, no differences exist in court-mandated referral rates based on place of birth and type of substance use. Although these findings appear to indicate a positive trend in the legal treatment of Mexican Americans, particularly in regard to the rates of mental health service referrals, it is recommended that more research on barriers to services be performed, possibly comparing differences in referral rates between U.S.-born Whites and Mexican Americans, in an attempt to better understand and address the disparity that continues to exist in the utilization of mental health services among this population.