Substance abuse treatment programs are evolving toward targeting specific populations, young adults are being integrated into 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). As part of a larger, longitudinal managed care substance abuse treatment study, the authors examined self-reported data from 98 young adult substance abusers aged 18- to 25-years-old. Drawn from a sample of 1,022 individuals participating in alcohol treatment programs in 2 large metropolitan urban settings, the individuals interviewed in this study had to have been admitted to a program for substance abuse treatment sponsored by a third-party payer classified as a managed-care entity and had to have had received a diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependency. The authors found that young adults are a unique substance abuse age group with both characteristics and needs that differ from the larger adult treatment population. Comparing the younger and older adults in terms of education and employment, relationships, mental health, alcohol and drug use, and AA involvement indicated that the young adult substance abusers have distinctive psychological and behavioral needs when compared to the older adult substance abusers. These differential needs are linked to varied treatment retention and outcomes for young substance abusers. Tables, references