General Resources

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.

National Institute on Drug Abuse
A part of the National Institutes of Health, NIDA's mission is to lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction.

Drug Abuse Warning Network – DAWN
Public health surveillance system that monitors drug-related visits to hospital emergency departments and drug-related deaths investigated by medical examiners and coroners. 

Guides, FAQs, Reports & Position Statements

Addressing the Specific Behavioral Health Needs of Men
Reviews gender-specific research and best practices, such as common patterns of initiation of substance use among men and specific treatment issues and strategies. (pdf)

Addressing the Specific Needs of Women
Reviews gender-specific research and best practices, such as common patterns of initiation of substance use among women and specific treatment issues and strategies. (pdf)

Challenges of Pregnant Teens in Substance Abuse Treatment
Pregnant teen substance abuse treatment admissions tend to involve greater challenges than other female teen admissions in a number of key areas, such as financial and educational status.

 

 

 

National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services: 2011 Data on Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities
Provides data on substance abuse treatment facilities and their clients throughout the US.

General Principles for the Use of Pharmacological Agents to Treat Individuals with Co-Occurring Mental and Substance Use Disorders
General principles to assist in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of pharmacologic approaches to support the recovery of individuals with co-occurring disorders.

Results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
Examines trends in illicit drug use from 2010-2011 and 2002-2011 among Americans 12 and older. Discusses disparities in treatment.

 

 

 

Pharmacologic Guidelines for Treating Individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Co-Occurring Opioid Use Disorders
Guidelines for medication-assisted treatment for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and co-occurring opioid use disorders.

The Role of Biomarkers in the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders, 2012 Revision
Discusses the role of alcohol biomarkers in the clinical, medical, and forensic settings and examines strategies for their use and interpretation in circumstances such as clinical, criminal justice, and impaired healthcare provider settings.

2010 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) By SAMHSA's Drug and Alcohol Services Information System, the data on the location, characteristics, services offered, and number of clients in treatment at alcohol and drug abuse facilities across the US, as collected by the N-SSATS survey.

 

 

 

Introduction to Extended-Release Injectable Naltrexone for the Treatment of People with Opioid Dependence
Overview of extended-release injectable naltrexone (Vivitrol), a treatment for people with opioid dependence. Discusses how it differs from other medication-assisted treatments, safety concerns, and patients most likely to benefit from this treatment.

Treatment Episode Data Set - Admissions (TEDS-A), 2010
TEDS–A is collected annually and provides details on individual treatment admissions throughout the United States. SAMHDA's new website allows you to download TEDS–A data, conduct online analyses, develop custom Quick Tables, and view Interactive Maps.

FAQs on 42 CFR Part 2
A set of answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) on protecting the confidentiality of clients for substance abuse treatment providers.

 

 

 

Managing Chronic Pain in Adults With or in Recovery From SUDs (pdf)
SAMHSA Treatment Improvement Protocol that provides clinicians with practical guidance and tools for treating chronic pain and SAMHSA's best-practice guidelines for prevention and treatment of substance use and mental disorders.

Integrating Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment
Explains how the proper design of treatment systems is key to the success of treating dual diagnosis patients.

 

 

 

 

Resources from Additional Sources:

 

 

Epidemic: Responding to America's Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis (pdf) 2011 document outlining ONDCP's national prescription drug abuse prevention plan

APNA Smoking Cessation Position Statement
2008 position statement that advocates and provides direction for, changes in practice and education for nurses caring for patients who smoke, in both specialty and general care settings.

Substance Abuse (Alcohol/Drug) and the Emergency Care Setting
Emergency Nurses Association's position statement regarding substance abuse in the emergency care setting.

 

 

 

Dual Diagnosis and Integrated Treatment of Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Disorder
A NAMI FAQ regarding an integrated treatment approach to a dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance use disorder.

Co-Occurring Mental and Substance Abuse Disorders (pdf)
This guide by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services discusses some of the difficulties faced by dual diagnosis treatment programs.

Dual Diagnosis and Recovery
From the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, an FAQ for patients regarding how dual diagnosis can be treated with a combination of talk therapy, medication and support groups.

 

 

 

APNA Continuing Education: Substance Abuse
Presentations from past APNA Conferences in webinar and podcast form as well as APNA publications regarding substance abuse. Earn continuing education contact hours.

Recent Advances in Pharmacotherapy for Substance Use Disorders
Discusses the efficacy of pharmacologic treatment options in the acute and long-term management of substance use disorders; describes treatment guidelines and clinical trials; and discusses the role of drug therapy in the management of substance use disorders in special populations.

4043: Development and Implementation of an Evidence-Based Alcohol Withdrawal Order Set for use with Hospitalized Patients
This webinar describes the development an evidence-based order set to decrease serious symptoms of alcohol withdrawal in hospitalized patients.

3042: Developing Genetic Education for Smoking Cessation
The webinar will describe how smokers respond to information about genetic contributions to smoking in anticipation of the development of genotyping for individualizing pharmacological therapy for smoking cessation.

 

 

 

3081: No Tobacco': A Strategy for Inpatient Care Settings 
In this webinar, nurses will be introduced to a 6-item objective clinical assessment tool that estimates potential severity levels of nicotine withdrawal.

3072: Safe Detox in a Jail Setting
This webinar gives an overview of addictive drugs and common withdrawals often seen in inmates by staff after arrest.

Can a Reduction in Substance Use Improve Psychiatric Outcomes among Individuals with Co-Occurring Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders?
This psychopharmacology webinar explores select psychiatric outcomes that have been shown to respond to improvements in co-occurring substance use.