About Us

The Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse is the single state agency responsible for overseeing a statewide network of publicly-funded substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery support services.  Funding for these services is supported through state general revenue and an annual application process and receipt of the federal Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant, administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  This grant helps fund prevention, outpatient, residential, and detoxification services to community-based programs.  The Division provides technical assistance to these agencies and operates a certification program that sets standards for treatment programs, qualified professionals, and alcohol and drug related educational programs.  In 2008, approximately 69,000 Missourians received substance abuse treatment or intervention services and 300,000 received prevention services.

The state has also been successful in securing competitive grants.  Grants awarded to Missouri from SAMHSA in recent years include:

• Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (SBIRT) Grant which will provide early intervention for those individuals with unhealthy use of substances;
• Access to Recovery (ATR) I and II Grants which has increased treatment capacity in the state, promoted evidence-based practices, and have established and maintained a network of recovery support service providers with a strong representation from the faith-based community;
•  Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant which has supported needs assessment, capacity building, strategic planning, and evaluation at the community level;
• Co-Occurring State Incentive Grant which increased capacity to treat individuals with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health issues.

In addition to SAMHSA grants, Missouri was a recipient of The Advancing Recovery Grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  This grant, which ended in 2008, introduced and helped incorporate medication-assisted treatment and other evidence-based practices into community-based treatment programs. 

The Division promotes the use of best practices and is committed to providing quality care through its service delivery system.  Prevention and treatment of substance abuse and supporting long-term recovery for Missouri families who have struggled or are struggling with addiction is the Division’s statutory responsibility.  The Division, established within the Department of Mental Health in 1975, became a statutory entity with passage of the Omnibus Mental Health Act in 1980.

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New

GO THE WHOLE 9
Alcohol use during pregnancy is a leading preventable cause of intellectual disabilities. Whether you are pregnant, know someone who is pregnant, or you simply care to find out more, please take a moment to explore this site.

Rethinking Drinking
A new Web site and booklet from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) could help many people reduce their risk for alcohol problems. Called Rethinking Drinking, the new materials present evidence-based information about risky drinking patterns, the alcohol content of drinks, and the signs of an alcohol problem, along with information about medications and other resources to help people who choose to cut back or quit drinking. The Web site -- RethinkingDrinking.niaaa.nih.gov -- also features interactive tools, such as calculators for measuring alcohol calories and drink sizes.

Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (SBIRT)
The Department of Mental Health was recently awarded a $12.3 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to support the initial development of the Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment program in targeted areas of Missouri before expanding the program statewide. The program offers immediate medical response to Missourians with drug and alcohol problems who present at hospital emergency rooms. The SBIRT program will help emergency rooms by introducing evidence-based practices for screening and treating substance abuse problems.

The Burden of Substance Abuse on the State of Missouri

Access to Recovery II The State of Missouri recieved an ATR II grant award September 30, 2007. More information about ATR II and how to become an ATR II recovery support provider is posted here.

Spring Training Institute May 20-21, 2010 - The Missouri Department of Mental Health provides a Spring Training Institute in May for consumers, providers and staff. The Institute provides the opportunity for participants to learn about the latest research in the field regarding medications, evidenced-based treatment, and other issues related to the population that we serve.

Missouri's Trauma Initiative Resources for providing trauma counseling services to clients with a history of violence.

SAMSHA National Outcome Measurement The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in collaboration with the states, has identified 10 domains as its National Outcome Measures (NOMs). These domains "embody meaningful, real life outcomes for people who are striving to attain and sustain recovery, build resilience, and work, learn, live, and participate fully in their communities." SAMHSA intends to achieve full state reporting by the end of FY 2007. The Office of Prevention, in partnership with the Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH) and prevention services providers, is initiating a plan that will allow prevention outcome measurement data to be collected effective October 1, 2006.
National Outcomes Measures slideshow
Prevention NOMs and Missouri slideshow

Addictions Academy Faith organizations and other nontraditional providers interested in providing recovery support services under the Access to Recovery project are required to have a minimum of two staff or volunteers complete the Addictions Academy.