Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP)
The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) is a federal agency under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), established in 1988 to coordinate substance abuse prevention efforts across the United States. Originally known as the Office for Substance Abuse Prevention, CSAP was created through the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, evolving from its roots within the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration. The mission of CSAP is to enhance community-based prevention programs aimed at reducing the impact of substance abuse and mental illness.
CSAP emphasizes evidence-based approaches and works closely with communities to promote emotional health and mitigate issues like mental illness, suicide, and substance use. In its strategic planning for 2023 through 2026, SAMHSA has identified key priorities, such as preventing substance use and overdose, enhancing mental health services, and promoting resilience among youth and families. The agency operates under principles of equity, trauma-informed care, recovery, and a commitment to data-driven practices. CSAP's work reflects a growing understanding of the interconnectedness of substance abuse, mental health, and youth disorders, advocating for a holistic approach to prevention and treatment in public health policy.
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP)
DEFINITION: The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, whose mission is to establish substance abuse prevention programs in communities across the United States (US), is a branch of the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
DATE: Established 1988
Background
The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) was originally established as the Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (OSAP) in 1988. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 established this federal office, which is tasked with coordinating drug prevention initiatives nationwide. Before becoming part of OSAP, CSAP was a center within the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA), which is itself under the US Department of Health and Human Services. ADAMHA was renamed the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in 1992.
Mission and Goals
The early mission of CSAP was to bring effective substance abuse prevention to every community in the US. CSAP’s identity has been integrated more closely with that of SAMHSA, so its focus is wider: to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on communities in the US.
For CSAP and SAMHSA, the prevention of substance abuse and mental illness involves supporting community efforts that promote emotional health and that work to reduce the rates of mental illness, suicide, and drug use. Additionally, CSAP provides national leadership in the prevention of problems related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse. CSAP’s mission is “to improve behavioral health through evidence-based prevention approaches.”
For 2023 through 2026, SAMHSA released a strategic plan that was more centered on the individual and created new priorities, objectives, and goals to reflect the ever-evolving environment of substance abuse issues. SAMHSA identified five areas of priority, including preventing substance use and overdose; enhancing access to suicide prevention and mental health services; promoting resilience and emotional health for children, youth, and families; integrating behavioral and physical healthcare; and strengthening the behavioral health workforce. Four key principles guide SAMHSA’s work: equity, trauma-informed approaches, recovery, and a commitment to data and evidence.
In 2009, National Academies Press published Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders among Young People: Progress and Possibilities. This publication has influenced the field of substance abuse prevention, including the work of CSAP. Instead of focusing on the work of drug abuse prevention alone, this report focused on the interconnecting web that composes youth disorders, including mental health initiatives and suicide prevention efforts.
CSAP’s continuing work reflects the ongoing trend in the field of substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery that attempts to address the wide array of issues involved in the development of substance abuse and other mental health disorders. This consolidation of government health services will help policymakers address substance abuse prevention in an integrated, organized, and holistic manner.
Bibliography
"Center for Substance Abuse Prevention." SAMHSA, 24 Apr. 2024, www.samhsa.gov/about-us/who-we-are/offices-centers/csap. Accessed 25 Aug. 2024.
Fisher, Gary, and Nancy Roget. Encyclopedia of Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2009.
Hogan, Julie, et al. Substance Abuse Prevention: The Intersection of Science and Practice. Boston: Allyn, 2003.
O’Connell, Mary Ellen, Thomas Boat, and Kenneth Warner, editors. Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders among Young People: Progress and Possibilities. Washington, DC: Natl. Research Council, 2009.
"SAMHSA Headquarters Offices and Centers." SAMHSA, 18 Apr. 2024, www.samhsa.gov/about-us/who-we-are/offices-centers. Accessed 25 Aug. 2024.
"SAMHSA's 2023-2026 Strategic Plan." SAMHSA, 15 Aug. 2023, www.samhsa.gov/about-us/strategic-plan. Accessed 25 Aug. 2024.