[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