Mental health service research has insufficiently examined young Black men's (YBM
ages 18-25) mental health care consumption patterns, obscuring their unmet mental health needs. Concurrently, the literature indicates YBM face unmet service needs that impede their ability to address numerous negative social determinants of health (e.g., high adverse childhood experiences, low socioeconomic status, etc.). Because preventing or treating mental health issues at or near onset can dramatically improve outcomes, this study utilizes thematic analysis to elucidate the factors most consequential to YBM's experiences as mental health service consumers. Eight YBM (