Communities
SAMHSA's mission is to advance the behavioral health of all communities across the nation, including those who have significant challenges in access to care. For many of these populations, coordinated care across a spectrum of behavioral health services in conjunction with social services, housing, and education and employment opportunities is needed to support wellness and recovery.
Listed below are selected communities where access is particularly difficult along with some of the SAMHSA programs and initiatives to address these population-specific challenges.
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) provide mental health and substance use care to anyone who needs it, no matter their age, location, or ability to pay.
SAMHSA is one of the leading federal agencies addressing the issue of housing stability for individuals with serious mental illness.
The Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy (OTAP) brings together SAMHSA’s tribal affairs, tribal policy, tribal consultation, tribal advisory, and Tribal Law and Order Act responsibilities to improve agency coordination and behavioral health services.
Cultural and linguistic differences, stigma, shortages of providers from diverse cultural backgrounds, and cost of care are all barriers that impede access to care. The Office of Behavioral Health Equity (OBHE) provides resources, data, and strategies to improve access to care for these populations. OBHE manages four population-specific Centers of Excellence that provide information and guidance to practitioners and organizations in order promote better behavioral health.
SAMHSA has resources about older adults with mental and substance use disorders that can be useful to clinicians, other service providers, older adults, and caregivers.