SAMHSA 2003 Press Releases


	News Release

	Date:	June 25, 2003
	Media Contact:	SAMHSA Media
	Phone:	301-443-8956



	Center for Mental Health Services Director Announced

	Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Administrator Charles G. Curie today announced that A. Kathryn Power will be the new director of SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services. SAMHSA, a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is dedicated to providing prevention and treatment services that build resilience and facilitate recovery from substance abuse and mental illness. In her new position, Ms. Power will oversee SAMHSA’s mental health activities. “Ms. Power is accepting an important challenge as we continue our push to improve the health, well-being and opportunities for Americans with mental illness,” Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. “We will rely on her leadership and experience as we advance President Bush's New Freedom Initiative.” Ms. Power, who is currently Director of the Rhode Island Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals, has initiated community support living arrangements and emphasized community based services, and is known nationwide for her focus on recovery for people with mental illnesses. She has also championed the integration of treatment for co-occurring disorders of mental illness and substance abuse, a priority of Administrator Curie. “I am truly excited to have Kathryn Power on SAMHSA’s executive team,” said Curie. “With the release of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health’s final report on the horizon, Kathryn’s proven leadership and extensive experience in mental health services will help lead the Administration’s efforts to transform mental health care in America.” The department headed by Ms. Power is the largest in R.I. state government, with a workforce of 2,200 and a $480 million budget. The department serves over 46,000 individuals with serious disabilities through publicly financed, privately operated systems of care. Her handling of workforce issues won her a Program Manager Award from the International Personnel Management Association and she is former president of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Mental Health Program Directors, where she worked to bring awareness of trauma as a key component in the lives of individuals with serious mental illness, substance abuse and co-occurring mental health and substance disorders. Ms. Power holds a B.A. in Education from St. Joseph’s College in Emmitsburg, MD and an M.Ed. in Education and Counseling from Western Maryland College. She completed the Woman and Power Leadership in a New Era program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She is a Clinical Teaching Associate in Community Health at Brown University, and a Captain in the United States Naval Reserve.



	The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the lead federal agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment and mental health services in the United States. Information on SAMHSA's programs is available on this website, www.samhsa.gov.