SAMHSA draft strategic plan calls for integration of substance abuse prevention, mental health promotion and suicide prevention

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has published its strategic initiatives paper - an overview of SAMHSA's goals, priorities and action steps for accomplishing its mission of reducing the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities. The strategic initiatives paper lays out how SAMHSA will focus its resources in meeting the new opportunities and challenges it faces in the near future.

The eight strategic initiatives set forth in the paper address how SAMHSA will maximize its resources in an environment that promises improvements in the nation's behavioral health care system over the next few years as a result of a variety of forces - most notably the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. The strategic initiatives include the following language about prevention of substance abuse and mental illness:

1. Prevention of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness - Creating communities where individuals, families, schools, faith-based organizations, and workplaces take action to promote emotional health and reduce the likelihood of mental illness, substance abuse including tobacco, and suicide. This initiative will include a focus on the nation's high-risk youth, youth in Tribal communities, and military families.

Click here to access the Executive Summary of the SAMHSA Strategic Initiatives document.

Click here to access the full report.