It has truly been an honor to serve
our country as the SAMHSA Administrator.
At SAMHSA, with a vision of “A Life in the Community
for Everyone,” our goal is to strengthen communities,
reunite families, and improve the quality
of life for hundreds of thousands of
individuals. We have a continuing commitment
to let the Nation know that substance
abuse and mental health issues are
treatable, and recovery is the expectation
rather than the exception.
Looking to the future, SAMHSA has taken steps to strengthen
the behavioral health system. At the same time, we are
increasing awareness and the ability of the general health
sector to prevent and treat mental and substance use
disorders. SAMHSA continues to emphasize collaborative
efforts:
Across disciplines to create a
larger context for the care of
the whole person
With primary care practitioners and behavioral health
providers to look beyond their individual disciplines
Among the scientific community and the broader public
and between the substance abuse prevention and treatment
and mental health service community and consumers.
As a result of these efforts, SAMHSA has helped move
the Nation closer to treating substance use and mental
disorders with the same urgency as other illnesses.
We are advancing a whole health approach that considers
the mental, emotional, behavioral, spiritual, and physical
health of an individual as the cornerstone of good public
policy.
For the future of this Nation, our work at SAMHSA will
continue to be of significant value to our communities,
our families, and our friends here and abroad.
As I leave SAMHSA, exciting technological advances are
increasing our ability to connect to each other around
the country. This issue of SAMHSA News highlights
SAMHSA’s Homelessness Resource Center and its new
Web 2.0-based virtual community for service providers.
Thank you all for sharing a little piece of SAMHSA history
with me and for welcoming me into your
lives. I look forward to continuing
my service to our great Nation as Health
Attaché to
the U.S. Embassy in Iraq.
