SAMHSA Substance Abuse Treatment Models

The Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SAMSHA's role is to establish recovery programs for individuals who have or who are at risk for mental disorders and substance abuse.

Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF)

• SAMHSA refers to its Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) program as the "cornerstone" of its prevention efforts. SPF is designed to enable states and communities to build and sustain their own prevention infrastructures, including programs, policies and practices. The underlying principle of SPF is that communities should be knowledgeable about the substance abuse problems that affect them at a local level. This includes being able to identify the cause, provide solutions and provide remediation. The SPF model has five key components that govern such community prevention services: assessment, capacity, planning, implementation and evaluation. Community prevention efforts should also be sustainable and "culturally competent" to ensure their success.

Access to Recovery Program

• SAMHA's Access to Recovery (ATR) program focuses on facilitating recovery for substance abusers. ATR is built on the principle of free and open consumer choice. As such, vouchers that are given to people in need of treatment for their addiction allow them to choose the program they feel will best help them, including faith-based programs and state-approved programs. The ATR program determines success based on outcome of treatment. Currently, ATR funds treatment for some 50,000 individuals on a yearly basis. Services received include in- and out-patient treatment, residential treatment, relapse prevention, pre-employment counseling and various family support services.

Targeted Capacity Expansion

• SAMHSA's Targeted Capacity Expansion (TCE) programs address new and emerging trends in the area of substance abuse and mental health. Some of these grant-funded programs include providing services to minorities who are HIV positive and people who are homeless and providing screening services and therapies for adolescents with substance abuse problems.

Treatment Locator

• SAMHSA's Treatment Locator is an online service that provides resources to those who seek treatment for substance abuse issues. It functions by letting people know what community-based providers are in their area, including addresses and phone numbers of the service providers. As a part of the Drug and Alcohol Services Information System, the Treatment Locator is always kept current. The Treatment Locator can be found at www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov.

National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices

• SAMHA maintains the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP), a voluntary rating system that addresses the efficacy of mental health and substance abuse treatment programs. Intervention programs are reviewed and classified according to the quality of research for their specific outcomes. Not all intervention programs will be reviewed and rated; they must meet SAMHA's minimum submission requirements. Ratings can be appealed.