Press Room

News Releases

Personal Care and Food Service Employees Have Highest Rates of Depression Among Workers
Rates of depression among full-time workers are highest in personal care and service jobs and food preparation and serving occupations, according to a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The report on workers ages 18-64, Depression among Adults Employed Full-Time, by Occupational Category, said that 10.8 percent of personal care and service workers and 10.3 percent of food preparation and serving workers experienced one or more major depressive episodes in the past year. In the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the source for this report, a major depressive episode is defined as a period of two weeks or longer during which there is depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure and at least four other symptoms that reflect a change in functioning, such as problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration and self-image. (10/15/2007)

SAMHSA Awards $39 Million for 15 Addiction Technology Transfer Centers
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration today announced the award of $39 million over five years to fund 15 Addiction Technology Transfer Centers. The ATTCs support the workforce that provides addictions treatment services to the 3.9 million Americans age 12 and older who received treatment for alcohol or illicit drug problems in the past year (National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2005). (9/14/2007)

2006 National Survey on Drug Abuse Results and Individual Stories of Recovery to be Highlighted at Recovery Month Press Conference
The Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will unveil the results of the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health at a press conference on Thursday, September 6. The annual survey, formerly called the "Household Survey" is the largest of its kind, and is the government's primary vehicle for determining how many persons are abusing illegal drugs, pharmaceuticals, alcohol and tobacco. (9/6/2007)

Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx Speaks at Alcohol and Drug Recovery Month Event
LOS ANGELES — Motley Crue founding member Nikki Sixx whose brutally honest upcoming book The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star (due September 18th from MTV Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster) chronicles his battles with drug addiction and his road to recovery, will be a featured speaker at the 18th Annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month luncheon on Capitol Hill, September 6th. (8/30/2007)

NAADAC Celebrates 18th Annual National Recovery Month & NAADAC's 35th Anniversary
Washington, DC - NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals is pleased to announce a Luncheon on Capitol Hill on Thursday, September 6th to celebrate the 18th Annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. (8/28/2007)

VA's Suicide Hot Line Begins Operations
WASHINGTON - To ensure veterans with emotional crises have round-the-clock access to trained professionals, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun operation of a national suicide prevention hot line for veterans. (7/30/2007)

New Members Appointed to Center for Mental Health Services National Advisory Council
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) announced the appointment of four new members to their Advisory Council at this summer's National Advisory Council meeting held in Rockville, MD on July 25 and 26. They include a veteran mental health advocate, an Academy Award-winning actress, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, and an expert in managed mental health care policy and mental health systems. (7/26/2007)

SAMHSA to Convene Media Roundtable During National Meeting to Discuss Methadone Mortality
As part of a special meeting to discuss strategies for reducing deaths associated with methadone, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will hold a media roundtable on July 20th at 12:45pm in Washington, DC to give reporters the opportunity to hear about current activities related to preventing methadone-associated mortality. (7/19/2007)

Nationwide Survey Shows Most Illicit Drug Users and Heavy Alcohol Users Are in the Workplace and May Pose Special Problems
Most of the nation's approximately 16.4 million current illicit drug users and approximately 15 million heavy alcohol users hold full-time jobs, according to a new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (7/16/2007)

National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices Adds Information on Former Model Programs Initiative to Web Site
A toolkit to help Native communities protect their children from the harm caused by drinking alcohol during pregnancy is now available from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (7/8/2007)

Toolkit Supports Efforts in Native Communities to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
A toolkit to help Native communities protect their children from the harm caused by drinking alcohol during pregnancy is now available from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (7/5/2007)

Updated Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs Available
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) updated guide to finding local substance abuse treatment programs is now available. The guide, National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs 2007, provides information on thousands of alcohol and drug treatment programs located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and four U.S. territories. (6/25/2007)

Two New Briefs Outline Evidence-Based Practices and Care in Non-Traditional Settings for Those with Co-Occurring Disorders
Two new short papers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration help treatment professionals, policymakers and others understand and address the needs of people with co-occurring substance use and mental disorders. (6/20/2007)

Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities Provide Programs to Fit Clients
The vast majority of substance abuse treatment facilities are providing special programs tailored to such clients as adolescents, seniors, post-partum mothers and people with HIV/AIDS, according to a 2005 survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (6/14/2007)

New SAMHSA Report Provides State-Level Data on Depression
Approximately 9 percent of youths aged 12 to 17, and 7.6 percent of adults aged 18 or older, experienced at least one major depressive episode (MDE) in the past year according to data released today by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (6/11/2007)

SAMHSA Announces FY 2008 Review Priorities for New National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration today announced the agency's Fiscal Year 2008 review priorities for mental health and substance use prevention and treatment programs and practices submitted to its National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP). (6/4/2007)

Substance Abuse Treatment Findings Show Risks for Girls
Although girls ages 12-17 made up less than one-third of adolescent treatment admissions in 2005, they began treatment at a younger age than boys and were more likely to have a co-occurring psychiatric disorder, according to a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (5/24/2007)

New Guide Helps Trauma Centers Identify and Treat Problem Drinking
A new guide from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helps health care professionals incorporate substance abuse treatment into trauma care. (5/14/2007)

SAMHSA Launches New Web Page for Veterans and Their Families
A new section of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Web site at http://www.samhsa.gov has been launched for veterans and their families. The Web site provides critical information on prevention, treatment and recovery support for mental and substance use disorders. (5/10/2007)

New Tool Created To Help Families In The Child Welfare System
Screening and Assessment for Family Engagement, Retention, and Recovery (SAFERR), a new guidebook designed to help staff of public and private agencies respond to families in the child welfare system who are affected by substance use disorders, is now available through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (5/9/2007)

Systems Of Care Promote Stability, Security, Safety for Children and Youth With Serious Mental Health Needs
Children and youth in systems of care are less likely to engage in self-harmful behaviors, demonstrate fewer emotional and behavioral problems and do better in school than before enrollment, according to data released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration today during a Capitol Hill briefing. (5/8/2007)

Comparison of Extended-Release and Oral Naltrexone Assists Substance Abuse Treatment Providers
Oral naltrexone and naltrexone for extended-release injectable suspension are the focus of a new comparative report recently released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in the Spring 2007 issue of Substance Abuse Treatment Advisory (5/4/2007)

Study Finds Link Between Depression and First Use of Drugs or Alcohol
Youths who faced depression in the past year were twice as likely as those who did not have depression to take their first drink or use drugs for the first time, according to a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (5/3/2007)

New SAMHSA Web Section Provides Key Points for Dealing with Trauma
A newly designed section of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Web site at http://www.samhsa.gov/ provides essential mental health information for those seeking help after a traumatic experience. (4/24/2007)

One in Four Hospital Patients Is Admitted With a Mental Health or Substance Abuse Disorder
Almost one-fourth of all stays in U.S. community hospitals for patients age 18 and older-7.6 million of nearly 32 million stays-involved depressive, bipolar, schizophrenia and other mental health disorders or substance use related disorders in 2004, according to a new report by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (4/10/2007)

New Associate Director of Medical Affairs Will Support SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services
Kenneth S. Thompson, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, recently joined the staff of the Center for Mental Health Services at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) where he will serve as Associate Director of Medical Affairs. (4/5/2007)

Heavy Drinking and Drug Use Linked to Higher Rates of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Young Adults
Heavy drinking is linked to higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases among young adults, according to a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Combined drug and alcohol use were associated with even higher STD rates.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Substance Use, based on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2005, showed that 3.1 percent of past month heavy drinkers ages 18 to 25 had an STD in the previous year, compared with 1.4 percent of young adults who did not drink in the past month. Heavy alcohol use involves consuming five or more drinks on the same occasion on five or more days in the past month. (3/29/2007)

SAMHSA Joins With Scholastic to Issue 2007 'Reach Out Now' National School Program to Prevent Underage Alcohol Use
On the heels of the Surgeon General's March 6 Call to Action to prevent and reduce underage drinking, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has once again joined with Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company, to present its annual, nationwide in-school program designed to help parents and teachers educate kids about the dangers of alcohol use. The program, Reach Out Now: Start Talking Before They Start Drinking, is distributed by Scholastic and SAMSHA to nearly every fifth and sixth grade classroom nationwide, beginning this week. (3/27/2007)

Building a Better Behavioral Health Workforce
Two online resources now available by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will help mental health and substance abuse professionals to organize and strengthen efforts around workforce development. (3/20/2007)

1.1 Million Kids Huffed Household Products Even Though It Can Be Fatal
Almost five percent of girls between the ages of 12 and 17 used inhalants to get high in 2005, an increase from 4.1 percent in 2002, while boys remained fairly constant with 4.2 percent reporting use in 2005. Together, the data show that an estimated 1.1 million adolescents used inhalants in the past year, even though huffing these common household substances can be fatal. (3/15/2007)

Emergency Room Visits Climb for Misuse of Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs
Emergency room visits related to the nonmedical use of pharmaceuticals, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs, increased 21 percent from 2004 to 2005, according to the latest estimates from the Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2005: National Estimates of Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits. Visits related to illicit drug use or alcohol were unchanged for the same time period. (3/13/2007 )

Partnership for a Drug-Free America Unveils New TV Spot on Huffing
The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition (NIPC), with input from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), will hold a press briefing on March 15 to present the results of a new report on patterns and trends in inhalant use by adolescent males and females. National Inhalants & Poisons Awareness Week is March 18-24. (3/9/2007)

Mental Health Services in the Nation / Improved Quality of Care Highlighted
Coordinated primary and mental health and substance abuse care, adoption and application of quality improvement tools, population assessments and national mental health services statistics are contained in Mental Health, United States 2004. The compendium of the latest information available on mental health services, published every two years since 1983, was released today by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). (3/9/2007)

Acting Surgeon General Issues National Call To Action On Underage Drinking
In its first Call to Action against underage drinking, the U.S. Surgeon General's Office appealed today to Americans to do more to stop America's 11 million current underage drinkers from using alcohol, and to keep other young people from starting. Acting Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H., laid out recommendations for government and school officials, parents, other adults, and the young people. Developed in collaboration with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Call to Action identifies six goals. (3/6/2007)

Training Manual Teaches Strategies to Motivate Clients in Substance Abuse Treatment
This training focuses on strategies to affect how motivated clients are to alter their substance use - to begin and stick to a change in their behavior. Clinicians have found the approaches in this training useful with populations characterized by denial and resistance, such as court-mandated offenders. (3/2/2007)

NSAMHSA Launches Searchable Database of Evidence-Based Practices in Prevention and Treatment of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
The new National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) debuts online today, greatly expanding the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's efforts to help local organizations make informed decisions about evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders. (3/1/2007)

New SAMHSA Report Provides State-Level View of Substance Use and Mental Health
Past month underage drinking (age 12 to 20) was lowest in Utah (21.3 percent) and highest in Wisconsin (39.5 percent) in 2004-2005, says the newest state-by-state report on substance use and mental health from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2/28/2007)

Federal Government Issues New Guidelines for Proper Disposal of Prescription Drugs
Abuse of prescription drugs to get high has become increasingly prevalent among teens and young adults. Past year abuse of prescription pain killers abuse now ranks second-only behind marijuana-as the Nation's most prevalent illegal drug problem. (2/21/2007)

New Report Highlights Housing Solutions for People with Psychiatric Disabilities
The problems of board and care homes, also known as adult homes, for people with psychiatric disabilities is the focus of a new report, Transforming Housing for People with Psychiatric Disabilities Report, now available from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2/21/2007)

SAMHSA Updates Guidance on Outpatient Treatment for Substance Abuse
Updated guidance to help clinicians and administrators improve outpatient treatment for substance abuse was recently released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in two new Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs). (2/21/2007)

Treatment Admissions for Heroin and Cocaine Decreased in 2005, But Increased for Methamphetamine and Prescription Narcotic Pain Medication
The number of admissions to substance abuse treatment for cocaine and heroin abuse declined between 2004 and 2005, but the number of those seeking treatment for narcotic pain medication or methamphetamine/amphetamine increased sharply during that same time period, says a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2/21/2007)

SAMHSA FY 2008 Budget
SAMHSA's FY 2008 budget totals $3.2 billion, a 5 percent reduction from the FY 2007 Continuing Resolution. This budget request continues support for the President's and Secretary's priority initiatives and reflects the goals and objectives in the Department's FY 2004 - FY 2009 Strategic Plan. In addition, the PART process continues to be a critical tool for evaluating program effectiveness and developing budget and legislative strategies. (2/5/2007)

New Federal Study Shows Methamphetamine Use Decreased Between 2002 and 2005
A new analysis of data from The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) shows that past-year use of methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant, declined between 2002 and 2005 among persons age 12 or older. Those living in the western part of the U.S. were more likely to have used methamphetamine in the past year than those living in any other part of the country, according to The NSDUH Report: Methamphetamine Use, published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (1/26/2007)

New Study Shows American Indians and Alaska Natives Continue to Have Higher Rates of Alcohol Use and Illicit Drug Use Disorders Than Other Racial Groups
American Indians and Alaska Natives ages 12 or older were less likely to have used alcohol in the past year than were members of other racial groups, but they were more likely than members of other racial groups to have a past-year alcohol use disorder and to have a past-year illicit drug use disorder, according to new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (1/23/2007)

New Report Provides Snapshot of Substance Use Within 15 Largest U.S Metropolitan Areas
The two U.S. metropolitan areas with the highest rates of past month illicit drug use are San Francisco (12.7 percent) and Detroit (9.5 percent) while the national average was 8.1 percent, says a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Chicago (25.7 percent) and Houston (25.6 percent) had higher rates of binge drinking than the national average (22.7 percent), and Detroit was the only metropolitan statistical area with a past month cigarette use rate that was higher than the national average (25.3 percent). (1/5/2007)