Promoting Mental Health and Preventing Substance Abuse Action Plan - Recommended Evidence-Based Programs, Policies and Practices
Focus Area 1: Promote mental, emotional and behavioral (MEB) well-being in communities
- Goal #1.1: To promote mental, emotional and behavioral (MEB) well-being in communities.
Focus Area 2: Prevent Substance Abuse and other Mental Emotional Behavioral Disorders
- Goal #2.1: Prevent underage drinking, non-medical use of prescription pain relievers by youth, and excessive alcohol consumption by adults.
- Goal #2.2: Prevent and reduce occurrence of mental, emotional and behavioral disorders among youth and adults.
- Goal #2.3: Prevent suicides among youth and adults.
- Goal #2.4: Reduce tobacco use among adults who report poor mental health.
Focus Area 3: Strengthen Infrastructure across Systems
- Goal #3.1: Support collaboration among leaders, professionals and community members working in MEB health promotion, substance abuse and other MEB disorders and chronic disease prevention, treatment and recovery.
- Goal #3.2: Strengthen infrastructure for MEB health promotion and MEB disorder prevention.
Focus Area 1: Promote mental, emotional and behavioral (MEB) well-being in communities
Goal #1.1 (Action Plan) (Tracking Indicators) (Dashboard): Promote mental, emotional and behavioral (MEB) well-being in communities
- National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices
Searchable registry by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of more than 280 interventions supporting mental health promotion, substance abuse prevention, and mental health and substance abuse treatment. Many of the notable interventions are listed below. - Early Childhood Home Visitation
In this program of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), trained personnel visit parents and children at home during a child's first two years of life to provide information, support, or training about child health, development and care. Visits may be initiated during pregnancy and can continue after a child's second birthday. - Evidence-Based Behavioral Kernels
Simple, evidence-based practices from the Promise Neighborhoods Research Consortium that can help teachers, parents, peers and others influence young people's behavior and development. - Good Behavior Game
Classroom-wide behavioral management strategy from SAMHSA for elementary school students that teachers can use along with a school's standard curricula. A game format uses teams and rewards to reduce aggressive, disruptive classroom behavior, which is a risk factor for adolescent and adult illicit drug abuse, alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking, antisocial personality disorder, and violent and criminal behavior. - Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
A behaviorally based systems approach from the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs to enhance the capacity of schools, families and communities to design effective environments that improve the link between research-validated practices and the environments in which teaching and learning occur. Attention is focused on creating and sustaining primary (school-wide), secondary (classroom) and tertiary (individual) support systems that improve lifestyles (personal, health, social, family, work, recreation) for all children and youth by making targeted behaviors less effective, efficient and relevant, and desired behavior more functional. - Positive Parenting Program
Known as Triple P, this evidence-based parenting and family support system to prevent and treat behavioral and emotional problems in children and teenagers was developed and initially tested in Australia with the model becoming widely distributed throughout the U.S. and other nations.. - Parent Corps
Family-centered, school-based preventive intervention to foster healthy development and school success among children ages 3-6 living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. New York University program is implemented in early childhood education or childcare settings as a 14-session weekly series for parents, children and early childhood educators. - Preventing Poverty
2012 article in The American Psychologist describes school-based interventions targeting social-emotional learning processes delivered by teachers in elementary, middle and high schools. Tax policy-based earning supplements have shown some evidence of success in affecting certain domains of MEB health, such as reduced antisocial behavior. - Behavioral Health Barometer: United States, 2013
Provides a snapshot of the state of mental health in the nation and data on the use of mental health treatment services. Published by the SAMSHA. - MentalHealth.gov
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website can help you find local experts and a toolkit for holding community conversations about mental health.
Focus Area 2: Prevent Substance Abuse and other Mental Emotional Behavioral Disorders
Goal #2.1 (Action Plan) (Tracking Indicators) (Dashboard): Prevent underage drinking, non-medical use of prescription pain relievers drugs by youth, and excessive alcohol consumption by adults.
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National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices
Searchable registry by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of more than 280 interventions supporting mental health promotion, substance abuse prevention, and mental health and substance abuse treatment. Many of the notable interventions are listed below. -
Life Skills Training
SAMHSA school-based program that aims to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use and violence by targeting the social and psychological factors that promote the initiation of substance use and other risky behaviors. -
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
A behaviorally-based systems approach from the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs to enhance the capacity of schools, families, and communities to design effective environments that improve the link between research-validated practices and the environments in which teaching and learning occur. Attention is focused on creating and sustaining primary (school-wide), secondary (classroom), and tertiary (individual) support systems that improve lifestyles (personal, health, social, family, work, recreation) for all children and youth by making targeted behaviors less effective, efficient, and relevant, and desired behavior more functional. -
Project ASSERT and SBIRT
Includes a screening, a brief 15-minute intervention, and referral-to-treatment model from SAMHSA. Adolescents, young adults, and adults visiting a participating health clinic or emergency department for medical care are screened for substance use by trained peer educators or ED staff. - Project SUCCESS
“Schools Using Coordinated Community Efforts to Strengthen Students” is a SAMHSA program to prevent and reduce substance use among students 12-18 years old. Consists of an education program; school-wide activities and promotional materials; a parent program that includes informational meetings, education and formation of a parent advisory committee; and individual and group counseling. -
Project Toward No Drug Abuse
Drug use prevention program to help high school students develop self-control and communication skills, acquire resources to resist drug use, improve decision-making strategies and increase motivation to not use drugs. SAMHSA curriculum was developed for high-risk students in continuation or alternative high schools and also was tested among traditional high school students. -
Teen Intervene
A brief, early intervention program for teens 12-19 years old in the early stages of alcohol or drug involvement that aims to help them reduce and ultimately eliminate their substance use. SAMHSA program is typically administered in outpatient, school, or juvenile detention settings by trained professionals. -
Too Good for Drugs
School-based prevention program teaches students in grades K-12 to be socially competent and autonomous problem solvers. SAMHSA program focuses on developing personal and interpersonal skills for goal setting, decision-making, effective communication, social interactions, self-respect, managing emotions and resisting peer pressures.
Goal #2.2 (Action Plan) (Tracking Indicators) (Dashboard): Prevent and reduce occurrence of mental, emotional and behavioral disorders among youth and adults.
- National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Policies
Searchable registry by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of more than 280 interventions supporting mental health promotion, substance abuse prevention, and mental health and substance abuse treatment. Many of the notable interventions are listed below. - Access to Screening for MEB Disorders
Employers can offer CDC-validated, reliable mental health screening tools as part of a comprehensive worksite health promotion program to help employees identify possible mental health issues, with follow-up by an employee assistance program or mental health organization. - Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development
Interactive website from the University of Colorado describes scientifically proven programs promoting children's health and development. Easy search features allow users to identify programs by outcome, the positive and negative influences that predict those outcomes, target population and program type. - Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS)
The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program is a school-based group and individual intervention designed to reduce symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and behavioral problems; improve peer and parent support; and enhance coping skills among students exposed to traumatic life events, such as community and school violence, physical abuse, domestic violence, accidents, and natural disasters. CBITS has been tested primarily with children in grades 3 through 8, and with high school students. - Early Childhood Home Visitation
In this program of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), parents and children are visited in their home by nurses, social workers, paraprofessionals, or community peers. Home visitors convey information, offer support and provide training to families. Some visits must occur during the child's first two years of life, but they may be initiated during pregnancy and may continue after the child's second birthday. - Familias Unidas
Parenting program cited as a “promising” intervention in the Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development database. Parent groups build a strong support network to increase knowledge of culturally relevant parenting and to help each other apply these skills while interacting with their adolescent children. - The FRIENDS Program
Developed by Child Psychologist, Paula Barrett, the FRIENDS Program is listed in SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices. It is a cognitive behavioral intervention that focuses on the promotion of emotional resilience to prevent--or intervene early in the course of--anxiety and depression in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. It is intended for use both as a self-development course and as an intervention, and it helps participants in developing social and emotional skills to effectively cope with challenging situations. - Good Behavior Game
Classroom-wide behavioral management strategy from SAMHSA for elementary school students that teachers can use along with a school's standard curricula. A game format uses teams and rewards to reduce aggressive, disruptive classroom behavior, which is a risk factor for adolescent and adult illicit drug abuse, alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking, antisocial personality disorder, and violent and criminal behavior. - Life Skills Training
SAMHSA school-based program to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use and violence by targeting the major social and psychological factors that promote the initiation of substance use and other risky behaviors. Facilitated discussion, structured small group activities and role-playing scenarios stimulate participation and promote acquisition of skills. - Linking Interests of Families and Teachers
Intervention from the National Institute of Justice to prevent the development of aggressive and antisocial behaviors in children in the elementary school setting (particularly first- and fifth-graders). - Mental Health First Aid
SAMHSA public education program to improve adults' knowledge, attitudes and perceptions about mental health and related issues, including how to respond to individuals who are experiencing one or more acute mental health crises (such as suicidal thoughts and/or behavior, acute stress reaction, panic attacks and/or acute psychotic behavior) or are in the early stages of one or more chronic mental health problems (such as depressive, anxiety and/or psychotic disorders, which may occur with substance abuse). - Training Programs for Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid
Evidence-based in-person trainings to teach adults and youth to help someone they know who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Site helps locate trainers and provides information on policies and resources. - Preventing MEB Disorders Among Young People: Progress and Possibilities
National Academies Press article describes programs for at-risk populations (such as children and youth in the child welfare system), interventions in schools and primary care settings, and community services designed to address a broad array of mental health needs and populations. - Seattle Social Development Project
School-based intervention that uses a risk-reduction, skill-development strategy to improve outcomes for children and youths. Combines teacher, child, and parent components with the goal of enhancing children's bonding with their families and schools. - Sources of Strength
SAMSHA's universal suicide prevention program designed to enhance protective influences at the socioecological level to reduce the likelihood that vulnerable high school students will become suicidal. Program trains students as peer leaders and connects them with adult advisors at their school and in the community. - Strategies to Prevent the Non-Medical Use of Prescription Drugs
SAMHSA report identifies strategies and interventions to reduce the nonmedical use of prescription drugs. Also provides recommendations for using prevention research to inform strategy selection. A previous version of Strategies to Prevent the Non-Medical Use of Prescription Drugs classifies interventions by domain and strength of evidence. - Too Good for Drugs
School-based prevention program for grades K-12 that enhances students' resiliency by teaching them how to be socially competent and autonomous problem solvers. SAMHSA program is designed to benefit everyone in the school by providing education in social and emotional competencies, and by reducing risk factors and building protective factors that affect students in these age groups. - Trauma-Informed Care
Integrating trauma-informed care throughout health, behavioral health and related systems can reduce the health impact of violence and trauma. Report is from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
Goal #2.3 (Action Plan) (Tracking Indicators) (Dashboard): Prevent suicides among youth and adults.
- National Strategy for Suicide Prevention
The U.S. Surgeon General's national strategy, released in 2012, is intended to guide suicide prevention actions over the next decade. It outlines four strategic directions with 13 goals and 60 objectives to work together in a synergistic way to prevent suicide. - Suicide Prevention Resource Center: Best Practices Registry
Registry identifies, reviews and disseminates information about best practices that address specific objectives of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (see previous listing). The registry has three sections: evidence-based programs, expert and consensus statements, and adherence to standards. - Attachment-Based Family Therapy
SAMHSA program for adolescents ages 12-18 is designed to treat clinically diagnosed major depressive disorder, eliminate suicidal ideation and reduce dispositional anxiety. - Let's Talk Gatekeeper Training
Provides suicide prevention training for foster parents and other adults who care for children. The two-hour training from the Suicide Prevention Resource Center uses slide show and interactive lessons. Participants receive resource lists, risk factor checklists, a bibliography, brochures, fact sheets, and guidelines relating to suicide risk and response. - Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention Modular, adaptable document for educators and school district administrators interested in implementing comprehensive suicide prevention policies. It is collaborative effort of The Trevor Project, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the American School Counselor Association and the National Association of School Psychologists.
Goal #2.4 (Action Plan) (Tracking Indicators) (Dashboard): Reduce tobacco use among adults who report poor mental health.
- How to Provide Tobacco Cessation Treatment to Patients with Mental Illness Podcast
Smoking cessation resources and treatment for patients with mental illness, a population that is often underserved, from the American Academy of Family Physicians. - Intensive Tobacco Dependence Intervention for Persons Challenged by Mental Illness
University of Rochester manual guides registered and advanced practice nurses through tobacco dependence interventions with their clients who smoke. Manual is based on the Clinical Practice Guideline for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update and offers the basic tenets of self-determination theory and Gadow's moral framework for nursing. -
Learning About Healthy Living
A 20-session group treatment approach designed for all types of smokers with mental health problems. Goals are to increase individual awareness about the risks of tobacco use, treatment options, enhance motivation to address tobacco, and to begin making other healthy life choices. Developed by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and funded by the New Jersey Division of Mental Health Services. - Tobacco Free Toolkit: For Community Health Facilities, National Edition
Developed for public health care organizations and treatment facilities, particularly those serving persons with mental illnesses and addictions. Materials are intended for administrators, direct providers, and support staff of organizations considering or implementing tobacco-free policies. The toolkit contains effective community-level strategies and step-by-step instructions to assess organizational readiness to go tobacco-free; implement tobacco-free policies; and provide tobacco cessation services and referrals as policies take effect. - Tobacco-Free Living in Psychiatric Settings
The Tobacco-Free Living in Psychiatric Setting Toolkit has charts, checklists and resources that can be customized to the facilities' needs to create a tobacco-free setting and community for people with mental illness. - Tobacco Recovery Resource Exchange
Resources for administrators and clinicians to facilitate integration of tobacco reduction education, treatment and policies in chemical dependence prevention and treatment. Developed by the Tobacco Interventions Project of the Professional Development Program, Rockefeller College, the University at Albany and funded by the New York State Department of Health's Bureau of Tobacco Control.
Focus Area 3: Strengthen Infrastructure across Systems
Goal #3.1 (Action Plan) (Tracking Indicators) (Dashboard): Support collaboration among leaders, professionals and community members working in MEB health promotion, substance abuse and other MEB disorders and chronic disease prevention, treatment and recovery.
- A Primary Prevention Framework for Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Report by the San Mateo County Health System Behavioral Health and Recovery Services includes strategies to promote policy and organizational practice changes and interdisciplinary partnerships, and identifies roles for collaborators. - IMPACT - Collaborative Care for MEB Disorders in Primary Care
Team approach integrates depression treatment into primary care and other medical settings. University of Washington's model of care was tested in a randomized control trial in eight health care systems across five states. Collaborative care is more than twice as effective as usual care for depression. It also improved physical and social functioning and patients' quality of life while reducing overall health care costs over a four-year follow-up period. - Public Health Action Plan to Integrate Mental Health Promotion and Mental Illness Prevention with Chronic Disease Prevention, 2011-2015 Illness Prevention with Chronic Disease Prevention, 2011-2015
The CDC's Division of Adult and Community Health includes the promotion of mental health as part of its efforts to prevent chronic diseases.
Goal #3.2 (Action Plan) (Tracking Indicators) (Dashboard): Strengthen infrastructure for MEB health promotion and MEB disorder prevention.
- Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program
New York Department of Health website has information on New York State's terms and conditions with the federal government for a waiver that will allow the state to reinvest $8 billion in federal savings generated by Medicaid Redesign Team reforms. The funds address critical issues throughout the state, including mental health and substance abuse, and allow for comprehensive reform through a Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program. DSRIP will promote community-level collaborations and focus on system reform; specifically, a goal to achieve a 25 percent reduction in avoidable hospital use over five years. Safety net providers will be required to collaborate on innovative projects focusing on system transformation, clinical improvement and population health improvement. - Financing Structures and Strategies to Support Effective Systems of Care (Study 3)
This University of South Florida study was the first to thoroughly investigate cross-agency financing structures and strategies on integrated systems of care. Its information about finance policies can assist communities across the country. The study also examined whether each financing component contributes to positive system-level outcomes. - Training Programs for Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid
This National Council of Behavioral Health website has evidence-based in-person trainings to teach adults and youth to help others developing a mental illness or who are in a crisis, and helps locate trainers and provides information on policies and resources. - Suicide Prevention Resource Center
The federally supported Suicide Prevention Resource Center lists resources related to training and funding opportunities.
