Abstract Purpose: Preliminary research demonstrates that community clients diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum and major mood disorders are three to four times more likely to meet PTSD criteria than people in the general population, and many of these clients meet criteria for a substance use disorder as well. Women with serious psychiatric disorders appear to be especially vulnerable to traumas associated with PTSD. Although substance abuse is known to correlate with stressful events and risky behaviors in community clients, there is little research examining how contextual factors associated with excessive drinking are related to PTSD symptoms. In the current study, it was hypothesized that: 1) higher subjective distress associated with traumatic events and risky behaviors would predict PTSD diagnostic status; 2)drinking excessively to cope with negative emotions would show a stronger association with PTSD; and, 3) women who drink to cope with negative emotions would be more likely than men to meet PTSD criteria. Methods: The current survey of 354 community clients was conducted in a community mental health center in Southeastern New England by staff social workers and case managers who provided services for the client participants. Instruments included the PTSD Symptom Scale (PSS), Risky Behaviors and Stressful Events Scale (RBSES), and the Drinking Context Scale. Results: Slightly over one-third of these clients met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD as measured by the PSS. Overall, 73.7% of these respondents reported some degree of subjective distress related to traumatic events in their lives and 36.5% reported subjective distress related to their own risky behaviors. Logistic analyses demonstrated that current subjective distress associated with traumatic events predicted PTSD status along with re-experiencing, avoidance and arousal subscales. Distress associated with risky behaviors also predicted re-experiencing and hyperarousal. Although both convivial drinking and drinking to cope with negative emotions predicted PTSD status, women who drank to cope with negative emotions were significantly more likely to meet PTSD criteria. Implications: Findings underscore the need to examine closely the alcohol use patterns of all community clients and the relationship between alcohol abuse and PTSD symptoms. In addition, special attention should be paid to motivational factors associated with alcohol abuse, particularly drinking to cope with distressing emotional states.