Comparative survey of drug use in a community service system.

Drug use patterns in Colorado's community services system were surveyed. A psychotropic drug use rate of 18.6% in a reporting population of 1,282 persons compares favorably to rate reported elsewhere in the literature as well as to rates concurrently used in the state's institutional settings. Substantial experience with psychotropic and anti-convulsant medications across all residential settings were observed. Drug combinations and psychiatric diagnoses were also reported for the population surveyed.