The current study investigated the contribution that substance use might make to a particularly vulnerable group of young people. Of the 300 young people approached for the study, 23.7% reported a prior suicide attempt. The most significant predictors of a prior suicide attempt were negative affect, prior exposure to violence, & housing stress. Life-time substance-use variables were most predictive of the number of suicide attempts a young person might make. Implications of these findings are discussed. (26 refs)