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Date: September 26, 2006
Media Contact: SAMHSA Press
Telephone: 240-276-2130
   
 

SAMHSA Awards $7.45 Million in Grants to States to Improve Service Delivery for Co-Occurring Disorders
 

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today announced the award of two grants totaling $7.45 million over five years to enable states to increase their ability to provide accessible, effective, integrated treatment services to people with co-occurring substance abuse and mental disorders, and their families.

“Co-occurring substance abuse and mental disorders should be the expectation, not the exception,” said Assistant Surgeon General Eric Broderick, D.D.S., M.P.H., SAMHSA Acting Deputy Administrator. “When both conditions are not recognized and treated, recovery is jeopardized. The awards we announce today represent another in a series of investments that can help establish the integrated care that makes recovery from co-occurring disorders a reality for those in need.”

Recent data from SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 4.6 million adults had serious mental health and substance abuse problems. About half received no treatment for either problem. Only 6 percent received treatment for both mental health and substance abuse.

The two awards are for up to $1.05 million in total costs in each of the first three years of the five-year grant period, with lesser amounts in the last two grant years, primarily to support program evaluation. The total funding for 2006 is approximately $2 million. Continuation of these awards is subject to both availability of funds and progress achieved by awardees.

Grants were awarded to:

State of Minnesota, St. Paul -- $1,029,000 for the first year to expand current standardized screening and assessment of individuals with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders through infrastructure development activities in co-located and dually licensed mental health centers and substance abuse agencies. Undertaken in collaboration with primary care partners, the project expects to result in a formal state policy for integrated dual disorder treatment (IDDT) across a wide range of stakeholders invested in implementing and maintaining the IDDT infrastructure.

The program will include a pool of clinicians with training and expertise to provide IDDT and, in the case of primary care physicians, knowledge about dual disorders and referral resources. The state expects clients with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders to have improved outcomes and recovery as the result of receiving services consistent with evidence-based principles and practices.

State of South Carolina, Columbia -- $1,028,000 for the first year to establish system changes that improve the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of persons with co-occurring substance abuse and mental disorders. Two-year pilot projects in the Charleston and Georgetown areas will test new methods of service delivery to ascertain their feasibility, effectiveness and efficiency. If found effective, these changes will be disseminated statewide during the later years of the grant with evaluation to assess client outcomes.


 
 
   
 

SAMHSA, is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation’s substance abuse prevention, addictions, treatment, and mental health services delivery system.

 
 
   

SAMHSA is An Agency of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Service