Substance use treatment facilities offering outreach services rise 10 percentage points since 2006

Substance use treatment facilities offering outreach services rise 10 percentage points since 2006

Substance use treatment facilities offering outreach services rise 10 percentage points since 2006

The number of substance use treatment facilities that provided community outreach increased from 47 percent in 2006 to 57 percent in 2012, according to a report issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).   These substance use treatment facilities outreach services are designed to help people in the community learn about harmful effects of substance use. They are also designed for people needing treatment to provide encouragement and information on how they can get help. Outreach services can be especially important for underserved populations, such as homeless people, people living in rural areas, and people in certain racial, ethnic, or cultural groups.   Since only about 11 percent of people needing substance use treatment receive such treatment, it is important to raise awareness about the benefits of treatment and where people can turn to for help for themselves or those they care about. This information can help people on the path to recovery lead full, productive lives in their communities.   This report is available at: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/spotlight/spot140-community-outreach-2014.pdf. The report is based on the findings of the 2006 to 2012 SAMHSA National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS). The N-SSATS report is based on a survey of all known substance use treatment facilities in the United States. To learn more about community outreach, please see http://homeless.samhsa.gov/resource/assessing-the-evidence-what-we-know-about-outreach-and-engagement-37555.aspx.   For more information about SAMHSA, visit our Web site. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.