During Substance Use Prevention Month and year-round, many opportunities exist for the prevention field to work collaboratively (across sectors and partners) to develop and implement comprehensive prevention approaches.
Prevention seeks to prevent initiation of substance use, prevent progression of substance use (to a substance use disorder), and prevent harms associated with substance use.
In 2022, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) funded 25 awards for its inaugural Harm Reduction Grant Program. Harm reduction is nested throughout the continuum of prevention, treatment, and recovery, with a service model that is strategic, practical, and transformative.
World AIDS Day, established in 1988 and observed annually on December 1, is a day to commemorate the 42 million people globally who have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic, and honor the more than 39 million people including 1.2 million Americans, living with HIV around the world.
On Veterans Day, we take time to honor former service members for their willingness to make sacrifices for our nation. Support for all our nation’s Veterans is a prominent component of the wide-ranging services provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). An emphasis on Veteran behavioral health (mental health and substance use disorder) care is rooted in the agency’s recognition of the unique needs of this population and the collective national commitment to support those who served.
