SAMHSA Action Plan

PURPOSE

To identify and articulate key workforce development issues in the mental health and substance use disorders prevention and treatment fields and to encourage the retention and recruitment of an effective compassionate workforce.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Long-Term Measures

• Increase the number of states that participate in SAMHSA’s Workforce Information Network for Stakeholders (WINS)

• Increase the number of states that employ effective workforce recruitment and retention strategies

• Implement SAMHSA’s Workforce Development Strategy

Annual Measures

• Increase by 10 per year the number of States participating in SAMHSA’s Workforce Information Network for Stakeholders (WINS) (Baseline: 0 states in Fiscal Year 2007.  Source: SAMHSA’s WINS).

• Increase by 10 per year the number of States reporting use of one or more effective workforce recruitment and retention strategies identified in a SAMHSA-sponsored inventory to be completed in 2007 (Baseline: 0 states in Fiscal Year 2007.  Source: SAMHSA Recruitment and Retention Inventory).

• Increase by 2 per year the number of recommended actions from SAMHSA’s Workforce Development Strategy that are implemented (Baseline: 0 actions in Fiscal Year 2007: Source: SAMHSA’s Workforce Development Strategy).

POLICY AND PROGRAM PARAMETERS –
including drivers:

The following are policy and program parameters that are addressed or reflected in the action plan:

• SAMHSA’s awareness and recognition of the workforce analysis and recommendations (i.e., Recommendations 7-1 through 7-4) described in the Institute of Medicine’s report Improving the Quality of Health Care for Mental and Substance Use Conditions.

• SAMHSA’s review of the goals and objectives expressed in Strengthening Professional Identity: Challenges of the Addictions Treatment Workforce, and An Action Plan for Behavioral Workforce Development.

• Information contained in the June 2005 document from The Finance Project entitled Finding Funding: A Guide to Federal Sources for Workforce Development Initiatives.
  

KEY ACTIVITIES –
FY 06-07:

• Provide a summary of a national stakeholders meeting on workforce development - Building a Behavioral Health Workforce: Dialogue on a National Action Plan

• Post two workforce development reports - Strengthening Professional Identity: Challenges of the Addictions Treatment Workforce, and An Action Plan for Behavioral Workforce Development – on the SAMHSA web site to facilitate stakeholder discussion and planning in the workforce development area

• Establish a comprehensive SAMHSA workforce development strategy that includes all three SAMHSA Centers and the Office of the Administrator (OA) and initiate one priority activity from this strategy that involves all three Centers and the OA.  The strategy will highlight ways in which SAMHSA can: 1) promote greater attention and visibility nationally to workforce development issues; 2) encourage partnerships among key stakeholders to facilitate progress; and 3) advance agency efforts to address workforce development issues.

• Develop and implement SAMHSA’s Workforce Information Network for Stakeholders (WINS)

As Matrix Lead, I agree to the incorporation of the concepts, strategies, and goals outlined in this Action Plan into my performance contract.