National and State Estimates of Children Living with Parents Using Substances, 2015–2019

This brief presents estimates of the number and percentage of children whose parents engage in problematic substance use, including past-year substance use and SUD by substance type and child demographics. Key findings include:

• In an average year from 2015–2019, more than 21 million children lived with a parent who used illicit substances , and more than 2 million lived with a parent who had an illicit substance use disorder (SUD).
• Living with a parent who had an illicit SUD varied by child age, race, ethnicity, and urbanicity.
• Children younger than 12 had a higher likelihood of living with parents with SUD than children 12 and older.
• States varied in the number and percentage of children living with parents who had an illicit SUD. States ranged from less than one percent of children (Nebraska) to nearly five percent (Maine).

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