Research on culturally responsive interventions for substance use disorders among Latino older adults has been limited. This study examined the role of counselors’ Spanish language proficiency, among other indicators of quality of care, and client factors, such as gender and drug of choice, in the odds of sobriety at treatment discharge among Latino older adults. Treatment retention was associated with higher odds of sobriety, as was female gender. Participants who reported using cocaine or crack were twice as likely to be sober at discharge as those using heroin. Counselors’ Spanish language proficiency was associated with lower odds of client sobriety, an unexpected finding. Implications for research and policy are discussed, particularly the need to explore how these client and organizational characteristics affect the recovery of Latino older adults with substance use problems.
