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The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

The FOIA is a federal law that gives you the right to access information held by federal government agencies, including SAMHSA.

What is the FOIA?

Congress passed the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in 1966 and later amended it. The FOIA gives U.S. citizens the right to access federal agency records so they can understand their government's operations and activities.

The FOIA requires that all federal agencies must disclose records to any person who makes a request in writing. However, SAMHSA and the other agencies protect privileged information. They cannot release material that falls within the nine exemptions and three exclusions contained in the FOIA.

The FOIA applies only to federal agencies and does not provide for the right to access records held by Congress, the courts, or by state or local government agencies. Each state has its own public access laws that you can consult for access to state and local records.

Led by the President of the United States, the Executive Branch is responsible for the administration of the FOIA. The Department of Justice's Office of Information Policy oversees agency compliance with the FOIA.

SAMHSA FOIA Resources

Federal Government FOIA Information and Resources

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provide information and resources about the FOIA law, regulations, and exemptions. Both departments also provide answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) and reference materials to help you in the FOIA submission process:

The DOJ FOIA page provides an overview of all federal government FOIA activities.
DOJ's FOIA.gov provides data and reports on requests received across the federal government along with information about the FOIA submission process.
The United States Department of Justice Guide to the Freedom of Information Act (posted July 24, 2013) provides a comprehensive legal guide of the FOIA's procedural requirements, exemptions, and litigation considerations.
The HHS FOIA home page provides information about the FOIA and the submission process.

The FOIA Law and Regulations

SAMHSA FOIA Archives

Last Updated: 05/29/2014

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Most Recent Reports & Documents

Emergency Department Data / DAWN

Featured Report

Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2011: National Estimates of Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits
This publication presents national estimates of drug-related visits to hospital emergency departments (EDs) for the calendar year 2011, based on data from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). Also presented are comparisons of 2011 estimates with those for 2004, 2009, and 2010. DAWN is a public health surveillance system that monitors drug-related ED visits for the Nation and for selected metropolitan areas. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the agency responsible for DAWN. SAMHSA is required to collect data on drug-related ED visits under Section 505 of the Public Health Service Act.
> Read More about Drug Abuse Warning Network

Substance Abuse Facilities Data / NSSATS

Featured Report

National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS): 2012
This report presents results from the 2012 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), an annual census of facilities providing substance abuse treatment. Con- ducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), N-SSATS is designed to collect data on the location, characteristics, and use of alcohol and drug abuse treatment facilities and services throughout the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. jurisdic- tions. It is important to note that values in charts, narrative lists, and percentage distributions are calculated using actual raw numbers and rounded for presentation in this report; calculations using rounded values may produce different results.
> Read More about National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services

Mental Health Facilities Data / NMHSS

Featured Report

National Mental Health Services Survey (N-MHSS): 2010
This report presents findings from the 2010 National Mental Health Services Survey (N-MHSS) conducted from June 2010 through January 2011 with a reference date of April 30, 2010. The N MHSS collects information from all known facilities1 in the United States, both public and private, that provide mental health treatment services to persons with mental illness.
> Read More about National Mental Health Services Survey (N-MHSS)

Client Level Data / TEDS

Featured Report

Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) 2002 - 2012
This report presents national-level data from the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) for admissions in 2012 and trend data for 2002 to 2012. The report provides information on the demographic and substance abuse characteristics of admissions to treatment aged 12 and older for abuse of alcohol and/or drugs in facilities that report to individual state administrative data systems. It is important to note that values in charts, narrative lists, and percentage distributions are calculated using actual raw numbers and rounded for presentation in this report; calculations using rounded values may produce different results.
> Read More about Treatment Episode Data Set

Population Data / NSDUH

Featured Report

Results from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings
This report and the detailed tables present a first look at results from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an annual survey of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population of the United States aged 12 years old or older. Both the report and detailed tables present national estimates of rates of use, numbers of users, and other measures related to illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco products, with a focus on trends between 2012 and 2013 and from 2002 to 2013, as well as differences across population subgroups in 2013. NSDUH national estimates related to mental health and NSDUH State-level estimates related to both substance use and mental health will be published in separate releases in the fall of 2014.
> Read More about Results from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings

Evaluation & Services

Featured Report

Behavioral Health Barometer - United States, 2013
This is the first edition of the Behavioral Health Barometer: United States, one of a series of State and national reports that provide a snapshot of the state of behavioral health in the Nation. This national report presents a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured through data collection efforts sponsored by SAMHSA (the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the Youth Risk Behavior Survey), and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (the Monitoring the Future survey). Also included are data on the use of mental health and substance use treatment services by Medicare enrollees, as reported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This array of indicators provides a unique overview of the Nation's behavioral health at a point in time as well as a mechanism for tracking change and trends over time.
> Read More about Behavioral Health Barometer - United States, 2013

Quality Metrics

Featured Report

National Behavioral Health Quality Framework
The NBHQF provides a mechanism to examine and prioritize quality prevention, treatment, and recovery elements at the payer/system/plan, provider/practitioner, and patient/population levels. The NBHQF is aligned with the NQS in that it supports the three broad aims of better care, healthy people/healthy communities, and affordable care. However, it was specifically broadened to include the dissemination of proven interventions and accessible care. The latter concept encompasses affordable care, along with other elements of care accessibility, including the impact of health disparities.
> Read More about National Behavioral Health Quality Framework

Behavioral Health Outcomes