SAMHSA’s Behavioral Health Work: For and With Indian Country Sheila Cooper, Senior Advisor for Tribal Affairs Trans-NIH AI/AN Health Communications and Information Workgroup – November 5, 2015
In Today’s Presentation You will learn about SAMHSA’s internal and external actions taken to assist American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) in their pursuits to access behavioral health systems that meet their needs. And, have an opportunity for a discussion on how SAMHSA and NIH can collaborate or complement the AI/AN work occurring in each agency. 1
SAMHSA SAMHSA is the agency within HHS that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health (mental health and substance abuse) of the nation. Consists of 4 Centers and 4 Offices. Created in Annual budget of $3.6B Kana Enomoto, Acting Administrator Moving to 5600 Fishers Lane (formerly Parklawn Bldg.) 2
Action Steps - Internal Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy (OTAP) Office of Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse (OIASA) Senior Advisor for Tribal Affairs SAMHSA AI/AN Team (SAIANT) Tribal Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) Annual Staff Training 3
Action Steps - External Technical Assistance Centers – 20+ Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center National AI/AN Addiction Technology Transfer Center Website Funding Opportunities: Circles of Care (COC) Tribal Behavioral Health Grant (TBHG) 4
Initiatives Strategic Initiatives (SIs). Leading Change 2.0 ( ) Prevention of SA and MI Health Care & Health Systems Integration Trauma & Justice Recovery Support Health Information Technology Workforce Development SAMHSA Tribal Youth Leaders (STyL) National Tribal Behavioral Health Agenda (TBHA) 5
Brainstorm For consideration: Are there touch points? Are there opportunities to collaborate? What actions complement each agency’s work? How to foster on-going communication? 6
Nyah Weh (thank you) For more information on SAMHSA’s behavioral health work in Indian country, please contact: Sheila Cooper, Senior Advisor for Tribal Affairs, at or (240) Mirtha Beadle, Director, Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy, or (240) Marcella “Marcy” Ronyak, Director, Office of Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse, at or (240) 7