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CSAT National Advisory Council Charter

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Committee’s Official Designation

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment National Advisory Council (CSAT NAC; the Council)

Authority

The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment National Advisory Council is required by 42 U.S.C. 290aa-1, Section 502 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, as amended. The Council is governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (as amended, 5 U.S.C. App.).

Objectives and Scope of Activities

To advise, consult with, and make recommendations to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use (Assistant Secretary), and the Director CSAT on matters related to developing, promoting, and enhancing programs and new approaches in the treatment of individuals with alcohol and other drug abuse.

Description of Duties

The CSAT NAC may, based on material provided by SAMHSA, make recommendations to the Secretary or the CSAT Director with respect to activities conducted at the Center. The CSAT NAC shall review summary statements for applications submitted for grants and cooperative agreements for activities for which Council approval is required under Section 504(c)(2) of the PHS Act and recommend for approval applications for projects that show promise of making valuable contributions to the Center’s mission; and may review any grant or cooperative agreement proposed to be made or entered into by the organization. The CSAT NAC may collect, by correspondence or by personal investigation, information as to studies and services that are being carried on in the United States or any other country as to diseases, disorders or other aspects of human health with respect to the mission of CSAT, and with the approval of the SAMHSA Assistant Secretary or the Center Director make such information available through appropriate publications for the benefit of public and private health entities and health professions personnel, and for the information of the general public.

Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports

The CSAT NAC shall advise, consult with, and make recommendations to the HHS Secretary, and the Assistant Secretary, or the CSAT Director, concerning matters relating to the activities carried out by and through the Center and the policies respecting such activities.

Support

Management and support services shall be provided by the Office of Program Analysis and Coordination, CSAT, SAMHSA.

Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years

The estimated annual operating costs for the CSAT NAC, to include travel, meetings, federal staff support, and contracting support, is approximately $246,966.00 and 1.0 fulltime equivalent.

Designated Federal Officer

The CSAT Director shall designate a member of the Center’s Office of Program Analysis and Coordination staff to serve as the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) of the Advisory Council. The DFO will prepare and approve all meeting agendas, attend all committee and subcommittee meetings, adjourn any meeting when the DFO determines adjournment to be in the public interest, and chair meetings when directed to do so by the official to whom the advisory committee reports.

Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings

The Chair, with the approval of the DFO, will call all of the advisory council’s meetings and subcommittees’ meetings to order. The CSAT NAC shall meet not less than two times during each fiscal year. The location of the meetings of the Council shall be subject to the approval of the SAMHSA Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and/or CSAT Director.

CSAT NAC meetings shall be open to the public except as determined otherwise by the HHS Secretary (or the designee), in accordance with the Government in Sunshine Act (5 U.S.C. 552b(c)) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Notice of all meetings shall be given to the public. In the event a portion of a meeting is closed to the public, a report will be prepared which shall contain, at a minimum, a list of members and their business addresses, the CSAT NAC’s functions, dates and places of meetings, and a summary of Council activities and recommendations made during the fiscal year.

Duration

Continuing.

Termination

Unless renewed by appropriate action prior to its expiration, the charter for CSAT NAC will expire two years from the date the charter is filed.

Membership and Designation

The CSAT NAC shall consist of the following nonvoting, ex officio members: the HHS Secretary of; the SAMHSA Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use; the CSAT Director; the Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary; the Defense for Health Affairs Assistant Secretary (or the designates of such officers); the SAMHSA Chief Medical Officer; the National Institute on Drug Abuse Director; the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Director; and such additional officers or employees of the United States as the Secretary determines necessary for the CSAT NAC to effectively carry out its functions; and not more than 12 members to be appointed by the Secretary.

Of the 12 appointed members, at least half will have a medical degree, a doctoral degree, or have an advanced degree in nursing, public health, behavioral or social sciences, or social work from an accredited graduate school, or be a certified physician assistant; and shall have experience in the provision of substance use disorder services or the development and implementation of programs to prevent substance misuse. Nine members shall be from among the leading representatives of the health disciplines (including public health and behavioral and social sciences) relevant to the activities of CSAT; and three members shall be from the general public and shall include leaders in fields of public policy, public relations, law, health policy economics, or management. All non-federal members shall serve as Special Government Employees.

A quorum for the conduct of business by the full Council will consist of a majority (one more than one half) of currently appointed voting members.

The HHS Secretary may select an individual from among the appointed members or may select the CSAT Director, to serve as chair of the Council. The term of office of the chair shall be two years.

The term of office of a member of the CSAT NAC shall be four years, except a member may serve after the expiration of the member’s term until a successor has been appointed and taken office. If a vacancy occurs in the advisory council among the members, the Secretary shall make an appointment to fill such vacancy within 90 days from the date the vacancy occurs. Initial appointments shall be made in such a manner as to ensure that the terms of the members do not all expire in the same year. A member who has been appointed for a term of four years may not be reappointed to an advisory council before two years from the date of expiration of such term of office.

The CSAT Director shall provide orientation and training for new members of the CSAT NAC, and such information and training as may be appropriate for their effective participation in the functions of the Council.

Subcommittee

Subcommittees may be established by the parent committee with the approval of the Secretary, the SAMHSA Assistant Secretary or the CSAT Director. The advice/recommendations of a subcommittee must be deliberated by the parent committee. A subcommittee may not provide advice or work products directly to the agency. The HHS Committee Management Officer will be notified upon establishment of each subcommittee and will be provided information on its name, membership, function, and estimated frequency of meetings.

Recordkeeping

Meetings of the Committee and its subcommittees will be conducted according to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, other applicable laws, and departmental policies. Committee and subcommittee records will be handled in accordance with General Records Schedule 6.2 of the Federal Advisory Committee Records or other approved agency records disposition schedule. These records will be available for public inspection and copying, subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552.

Filing Date

June 15, 2022

APPROVED:

Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D.
Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use

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