Where are Young Children
in the SAMHSA Portfolio?
Larke Nahme Huang, Ph.D.
Senior Advisor on Children
Office of the Administrator, SAMHSA
Policymaker’s Meeting - November 17, 2006
Children & Families Matrix
Work Group
SAMHSA’s Vision
is for all children and youth to live full lives in
the community - to have an education,
preparation for employment, and meaningful
relationships with family and friends.
SAMHSA’s Mission
is to improve outcomes for children and youth
with and/or at risk for mental, substance use
and/or co-occurring disorders, and their
families by increasing access to a continuum of
comprehensive, integrated, culturally and
linguistically competent services and
supports—that include prevention, early
intervention, treatment, and recovery.
SAMHSA’s Children and Families Workgroup
Promotes Collaboration Across all 3 Centers to:
•Fund grants jointly across Centers (e.g., Child
and Adolescent State Infrastructure Grant).
•Develop TA resources and activities
(e.g., TA Inventory, strategies for linking mental
health, substance use, and primary care); and
•Collaborate with other Federal partners
(e.g., Federal/National Partnership for
Transforming Child & Family Mental Health
& Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment;
Federal Partners Collaborative for Social &
Emotional Development of Young Children Ages 0-5)
Children and Families Matrix
Work Group: Action Plan
Strategic Action Item:
Establish a national initiative to promote
healthy development and resiliency of
young children, reaching their parents/
caregivers earlier to prevent or reduce
mental and/or substance use disorders.
New Freedom Commission on Mental Health:
4.1: Promote the mental health of young
children
CF Work Group:
Sub-committee on
Young Children
Develop SAMHSA’s Plan for Young Children
Coordinate efforts across 3 Centers
Highlight importance of early years for
SAMHSA staff
0-5 Collaborative of federal partners and 12
TA Centers focusing on 0-5
Federal consensus statement
Sampling of SAMHSA
0-5 Efforts
CMHS:
System of Care – 6 Early childhood
grants & Community of Practice
Prevention & Early Intervention  30%
grantees serve infants; 62% serve 0-5
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
44 of 53 centers serve 0-7 year olds
Sampling of SAMHSA
0-5 Efforts
CSAP:
“Building Blocks for Healthy Future”
Caregivers of 3-6 yr olds, model healthy
behaviors; 85,000 kits
National Head Start Association/National
Assoc of Elementary Schools
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Center
for Excellence- resources, training, TA on
prevention & services
CSAT:
Pregnant & Postpartum Women
Substance Abuse Residential Treatment
Programs for women with their children,
mostly 0-7 year olds
Visit SAMHSA’s Children and Families
Webpage for More Information:
http://www.samhsa.gov/Matrix/matrix_families.aspx