Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

"Samsha" redirects here. For the city established by China in disputed territory in the South China Sea, see Samsha (city).
United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Agency overview
Formed 1992
Jurisdiction Federal government of the United States
Headquarters Rockville, Maryland
Agency executive
  • Pamela S. Hyde, J.D, Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration"
Parent agency Department of Health and Human Services
Website www.samhsa.gov

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is charged with improving the quality and availability of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitative services in order to reduce illness, death, disability, and cost to society resulting from substance abuse and mental illnesses. The Administrator of SAMHSA reports directly to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SAMHSA's headquarters building is located in Rockville, Maryland.

History

The front of the SAMHSA building in Rockville, MD

SAMHSA was established in 1992 by Congress as part of a reorganization of the Federal administration of mental health services; the new law renamed the former Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA). ADAMHA had passed through a series of name changes and organizational arrangements throughout its history:[1]

Congress directed SAMHSA to target effectively substance abuse and mental health services to the people most in need and to translate research in these areas more effectively and rapidly into the general health care system.[2]

Charles Curie was SAMHSA's Director until his resignation in May 2006. In December 2006 Terry Cline was appointed as SAMHSA's Director. Dr. Cline served through August 2008. Rear Admiral Eric Broderick served as the Acting Director upon Dr. Cline's departure,[3] until the arrival of the succeeding Administrator, Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. in November 2009.[4]

Organization

SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on American's communities.

Four SAMHSA offices, called Centers, administer competitive, formula, and block grant programs and data collection activities:[5]

The Centers give grant and contracts to U.S. states, territories, tribes, communities, and local organizations. They support the provision of quality behavioral-health services such as addiction-prevention, treatment, and recovery-support services through competitive Programs of Regional and National Significance grants. Several staff offices support the Centers:[6]

Center for Mental Health Services

The Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) is a unit of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This U.S. government agency describes its role as: "CMHS leads Federal efforts to treat mental illnesses by promoting mental health and by preventing the development or worsening of mental illness when possible. Congress created CMHS to bring new hope to adults who have serious mental illnesses and to children with serious emotional disorders."

As of 2012, the director of CMHS is Paolo del Vecchio.[7]

CMHS is the driving force behind the largest US children's mental health initiative to date, which is focused on creating and sustaining systems of care. This initiative provides grants (now cooperative agreements) to States, political subdivisions of States, territories, Indian Tribes and tribal organizations to improve and expand their Systems Of Care to meet the needs of the focus population—children and adolescents with serious emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders. The Children's Mental Health Initiative is the largest Federal commitment to children’s mental health to date, and through FY 2006, it has provided over $950 million to support SOC development in 126 communities.

SAMHSA's Strategic Direction

In 2010, SAMHSA identified 8 Strategic Initiatives to focus the Agency's work. Below are the 8 areas and goals associated with each category:[8]

Their budget for the Fiscal Year 2010 was about $3.6 billion. It was re-authorized for FY2011. Most recently, the FY 2016 Budget requests $3.7 billion for SAMHSA, an increase of $45 million above FY 2015.

Controversy

In February 2004, the administration was accused of requiring the name change of an Oregon mental health conference from "Suicide Prevention Among Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Individuals" to "Suicide Prevention in Vulnerable Populations."[9][10]

In 2002, then-President George W. Bush established the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. The resulting report was intended to provide the foundation for the federal government's Mental Health Services programs. However, many experts and advocates were highly critical of its report, "Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America".[11]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Records of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration [ADAMHA], National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Accessed 2012-07-18.
  2. ↑ "SAMHSA: Agency Overview"
  3. ↑ "SAMHSA Agency Biographies: Acting Administrator of SAMHSA"
  4. ↑ "SAMHSA Administrator Biography"
  5. ↑ Offices and Centers at official SAMHSA web site
  6. ↑ "SAMHSA: Agency Overview"
  7. ↑ http://www.samhsa.gov/about/cmhs.aspx
  8. ↑ "SAMHSA's 10 Strategic Initiatives"
  9. ↑ Joe Crea, Feb 25, 2005. "Suicide prevention workshop retains ‘gay’ title", Washington Blade.
  10. ↑ February 26, 2005. "Northwest: Oregon: Workshop's Original Title Restored", The New York Times.
  11. ↑ For the opposition to this report see: New Freedom Commission on Mental Health#Opposition.

References

External links

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