[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 180 (Monday, September 16, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 48718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-23670]
[[Page 48718]]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Cooperative Agreement With the National Association of State
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors
AGENCY: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Cooperative agreement to support technical assistance,
including synthesis and dissemination of State information; related
policy analyses; and analysis and utilization of State data.
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SUMMARY: This notice is to provide information to the public concerning
a planned cooperative agreement between the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Association of
State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors to support State technical
assistance and related activities. If the application is recommended
for approval by the Initial Review Group, and the SAMHSA National
Advisory Council concurs, a cooperative agreement will be awarded. This
is not a formal request for applications. An application will be
solicited only from the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Directors.
Authority/Justification
The cooperative agreement will be made under the authority of
section 1948(a) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended (42 U.S.C.
300x-58). A single source award will be made to the National
Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) based
on its direct relationship with the single State substance abuse
authorities. This relationship provides NASADAD with unique
qualification to carry out the activities of this cooperative
agreement, which requires such an affiliation with the State agencies.
As the only national organization representing State substance abuse
agencies, NASADAD's membership is composed of the persons directly
responsible for the administration of public substance abuse policies
and services in the respective States. NASADAD includes State
membership of all but one of the Substance Abuse Prevention and
Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant recipients, as well as full and continuous
communication with the leadership and staff of these agencies. Its
membership also administers the 20% of the State's allotments from the
Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant that are required
by law to be used for substance abuse prevention efforts. NASADAD has
the confidence of its member States, and NASADAD staff are in a unique
position to assess State needs for technical assistance.
Background
SAMHSA's mission is to improve the quality and availability of
prevention, early intervention, and treatment services for substance
abuse, including co-occurring substance abuse and mental illness, in
order to improve health and reduce illness, death, disability, and cost
to society. State and local governments and communities continue to
have the major responsibility for providing public sector substance
abuse services for those without health insurance or those whose
insurance does not provide adequate coverage. The responsibility for
providing for substance abuse services in such cases lies primarily
with the States. Current SAPT Block Grant Program legislation requires
the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) to provide technical
assistance to States with respect to the planning, development, and
operation of any program or services carried out under the block grant
program. Similar assistance is provided by the Center for Substance
Abuse Prevention (CSAP) in relation to the 20% prevention set-aside
provided for in the SAPT program legislation. The proposed cooperative
agreement will support States in their efforts to improve viable and
effective substance abuse service systems that meet the needs of
clients, especially in light of current major changes in health care
delivery financing and systems. The primary goals of the cooperative
agreement are:
(1) Develop collaboratively with States models that States can use
in policy development and decision-making regarding clinical, fiscal,
and management aspects of State-based substance abuse service delivery.
(2) Coordinate or provide specified technical assistance to State
substance abuse agencies regarding their programs.
(3) Gather information and develop policy related to the ability of
States to carry out their responsibilities for substance abuse service
delivery.
(4) Develop policy and disseminate information in areas of great
interest to States, such as managed care and co-occurring disorders.
(5) Develop training and other technical assistance materials
particular to State needs in carrying out their responsibilities.
(6) Discuss and develop models and materials which meet the unique
needs and special concerns of racial and ethnic minority group members
and special populations so that State services are appropriate,
acceptable, and accessible to these individuals.
(7) Collaborate with CSAP and CSAT in providing regional training
to meet State technical assistance needs.
(8) Conduct analyses of State data and other information, and make
those analyses available to SAMHSA and to others.
(9) Develop reports and monographs to aid States in meeting program
requirements and to communicate information and provide technical
assistance.
NASADAD is uniquely positioned to fulfill these goals because, as a
membership organization, it enjoys the confidence of the States in
addressing program and policy issues; it has years of experience in
addressing State substance abuse concerns; it possesses substantial
capacity to assess State needs; and because systems for routine
interchange with States already are in place, including the capacity to
obtain quick response from States on time-sensitive issues. As the
Government Performance and Results Act encourages Federal funding
programs to shift to performance and outcome measurement, with more
responsibility and accountability at State levels, the partnership
carried out in part through this cooperative agreement will become even
more important.
Availability of Funds
The project will be for a 5-year period with $300,000 available for
the first year. Future year funding will depend on the availability of
funds, program needs, and program performance.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Margaret M. Gilliam, Office of Policy
and Program Coordination, Office of the Administrator, Parklawn Bldg.
Room 12C-06, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, (301) 443-4111.
Dated: September 11, 1996.
Richard Kopanda,
Executive Officer, SAMHSA.
[FR Doc. 96-23670 Filed 9-13-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P