PURPOSE

Promote adoption of evidence-based mental health and substance abuse programs for older adults and promote the integration of older adult issues into SAMHSA’s other Matrix priority areas.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Long Term Measures

• Increase the percent of adults aged 65 to 74 with SMI who are served by the State mental health agencies (Baseline: 8%, URS, 2003)

• Decrease the percent of adults aged 50 and older who are in need of substance abuse treatment but do not receive it (Baseline: 3%, NSDUH, 2004).

• Decrease the percent of adverse drug reaction emergency department visits of adults age 65 and older (Baseline: 29,830 out of 155,006 related ED visit or 19.2%, DAWN, 2003)

Annual Measures

• Increase the number of candidate programs addressing older adult mental health and substance abuse that apply for review by the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP). (Baseline: In FY 2005, one, inquiry to Older Americans Substance Abuse and Mental Health Technical Assistance Center and NREPP Data, April 2006)

• Increase the number of participants who attend training and technical assistance activities sponsored by SAMHSA’s Older Americans Substance Abuse and Mental Health Technical Assistance Center, which address the mental health and substance abuse needs of older adults. (Baseline: in FY 2005, 40 participants, inquiry to Older Americans Substance Abuse and Mental Health Technical Assistance Center, April 2006)

POLICY AND PROGRAM PARAMETERS – including drivers:

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

• Demographics regarding mental health and substance abuse require increased Federal and State focus on older Americans. As many as 17 percent of older adults knowingly or unknowingly engage in alcohol or medication misuse and abuse. The most prevalent group of mental disorders among older adults, anxiety disorders, affect an estimated 11.4% of the older adult population. Older adults represent 13% of the population; however, account for 18% of all suicide deaths.

• Limited resources prohibit SAMHSA from addressing this need solely through programs targeted to older adults. Must use major existing programs as mechanism for change.

• Requirement of most grant programs to utilize and/or implement an evidence-based practice or program, as consideration for funding.
  

KEY ACTIVITIES – FY 06-07:

• Ensure that older adults are a significant population in SAMHSA’s four redwood grant programs, as appropriate: Mental Health Systems Transformation SIG, Access to Recovery, Strategic Prevention Framework SIG, and COSIG. ( Track State and community grant activities, technical assistance, and outcomes).

• Continue collaboration with the Administration on Aging to identify evidence-based practices and promote them in the Aging Services Network, and support and coordinate efforts concerning state planning, including the development of state plans on substance abuse, mental health, health promotion and/or health education for older adults .

• Collect and report NOMS for older adults.

• Increase the number of candidate programs addressing older adult substance abuse and mental health that apply for review by the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP).