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SAMHSA's Strategic Initiatives

 

Last updated 02/14/2011

These eight areas of focus are the driving force behind SAMHSA’s work on improving and the delivery  of financing of prevention, treatment, and recovery support services.  The FCN TA Center is dedicated to helping Statewide family and Consumer Network grantees assess their current activities through the lens provided by these subject areas, and to support the creation of programming and specific projects dedicated to these priority areas.  SAMHSA’s 8 Initiatives are listed below:

1.  Prevention of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness:  Create prevention prepared communities where individuals, families, schools, workplaces, and communities take action to promote emotional health and prevent and reduce mental illness, substance abuse including tobacco, and suicide across the lifespan.

2.  Trauma and Justice:  Reduce the pervasive, harmful, and costly health impact of violence and trauma by integrating trauma-informed approaches throughout health and behavioral healthcare systems and to divert people with substance use and mental disorders from criminal and juvenile justice systems into trauma-informed treatment and recovery.

3.  Military Families – Active, Guard, Reserve, and Veteran:  Support of our service men and women and their families and communities by leading efforts to ensure needed behavioral health services are accessible and outcomes are successful.   

4.  Health Insurance Reform Implementation:  Broaden health coverage  and the use of evidence based practices to increase access to appropriate and high quality care, and to reduce disparities that currently exist between and availability of services for substance use and mental disorders and other medical conditions.

5.  Housing and Homelessness:  Provide housing and reduce the barriers that homes persons with mental and substance use disorders and their families experience to accessing effective programs that sustain recovery.

6.  Health Information Technology for Behavior Health Providers:  Ensure the behavioral health provider network, including prevention specialists and consumer providers, fully participates with the general health care delivery system in the adoption of health information technology.

7.  Data and Outcome – Demonstrating Results:  Realize an integrated data strategy that informs policy, measurers program impact, and results in improved quality of services and outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.

8.  Public Education and Support:  Increase understanding of mental and substance use disorder prevention and treatment services to achieve the full potential of prevention and help people recognize and seek assistance for these  health conditions with the same urgency as any other health condition.

 

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