[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50100-50101]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23971]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Call for Public Comment: Changing the Conversation--A National
Plan To Improve Substance Abuse Treatment
AGENCY: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration, DHHS.
ACTION: Request for public comment on five issues (domains) of concern
to the substance abuse treatment field when assessing substance abuse
treatment.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse
Treatment (CSAT) is formally inviting public comment on five issues
(domains) that are of concern to the substance abuse treatment field
and require development and exploration. Via several mechanisms,
including public hearings, CSAT intends that findings from the
exploration of individual domains will ultimately be synthesized into a
coherent national strategy to guide substance abuse treatment program
and policy development for the future. Individuals and organizations
are encouraged to comment in one of several ways: (1) In writing, by
submission through the U.S. Mail or courier service; (2) via the
National Treatment Plan web site (http://www.NaTxPlan.org); or (3) in
person at one of the remaining three public hearings scheduled at
locations across the country. The final cutoff date for comments is
December 1, 1999. This notice discusses the public hearings at which
interested individuals/organizations may testify regarding the
[[Page 50101]]
five substance abuse treatment domains discussed below.
DATES/LOCATIONS: In addition to the public hearings held on July 8 in
Hartford, Connecticut, and on September 16 in Chicago, Illinois, CSAT
plans to conduct three more public hearings in 1999--October 18 in
Washington, DC; October 26 in Portland, Oregon; and November 9
(tentative date) in Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida. The next hearing
will be held at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, 777
N. Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4226, on October 18, 1999,
between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Specific details regarding
subsequent hearings will be published in the Federal Register
approximately one month prior to each hearing.
Requests to testify at the Washington, DC, public hearing must be
submitted to the addressee indicated below by October 12, 1999. Seating
is limited. In the event that interpretive services for the hearing-
impaired are required, please indicate these special needs to the
addressee.
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information regarding
the hearing and/or testimonies, as well as requests to testify must be
addressed to: Cynthia Graham, [Tele: (301) 443-8390; e-mail:
[email protected]; Fax: (301) 480-6077] Center for Substance Abuse
Treatment, SAMHSA, Rockwall II Building, Suite 618, 5600 Fishers Lane,
Rockville, Maryland 20857.
Written comments (without a request to personally testify) will
also be accepted by the above addressee. Written testimonies are
limited to five (5) typed pages using 1.5 line spacing and 12 point
font.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Building on recent advances and studies, CSAT has initiated plans
to focus on how to apply its extensive knowledge to the practical
objective of improving treatment outcomes. The plans include
synthesizing current knowledge and recommendations about treatment,
service systems, application of best practices, diffusion methods, and
organization and financing of substance abuse treatment services.
Federal Government and outside experts, as well as the interested
public, will explore the current state of the knowledge, resources,
needs, and service and organizational capacity. The objective is the
culling of priorities for action by the government and by others in the
substance abuse treatment field. As noted above, CSAT is inviting the
public to comment on five domains as part of the initial step of the
plan. The domains, as well as some initial questions for exploration,
include:
(1) Closing the Treatment Gap: Where are the gaps? How big are they
for different populations? For different types of settings and
treatment modalities? How big are gaps in other related systems of
care, e.g., welfare, child welfare, housing? What are the policy,
organization, and financing issues that must be addressed in the
private and public systems, including Medicaid and Medicare, to close
the treatment gap?
(2) Reducing Stigma and Changing Attitudes: What are the nature,
causes and consequences of addiction stigma? What can CSAT, the
treatment field, consumers and families do to address stigma related to
addiction, substance abuse treatment and individuals with substance
abuse disorders? How do other stigmas impact/compound the stigma of
addiction?
(3) Improving and Strengthening Treatment Systems: What are the
clinical and organizational challenges facing treatment organizations
in the public and private sectors? What can CSAT, the treatment field,
consumers and families do to improve and strengthen treatment
organizations so that they can adapt to the new imperatives of the
changing treatment system, and to improve the relationship between the
general health care system and the specialty substance abuse treatment
system? What should be done at the State, county and/or local levels to
improve and strengthen substance abuse treatment?
(4) Connecting Services and Research: What are the best methods by
which CSAT, the treatment field, consumers and families can foster and
support evaluation of proven research findings in community-based
settings and identification and adoption of best practices?
(5) Addressing Workforce Issues: What are the issues facing
clinicians treating addictions? What can CSAT, the treatment field,
consumers and families, and professional associations do to foster
training, appropriate credentialing, and licensure in all settings in
which treatment occurs, and to support treatment organizations in
developing appropriate policies for clinical training?
Hearing Format
The hearings will be divided into five segments (i.e., the five
domains described above) of approximately 60 minutes each. Each
individual/organization participant will be limited to three (3)
minutes of oral testimony and five (5) pages of typed testimony per
domain. All oral testimonies must be accompanied by a written testimony
of no more than five (5) typed pages using 1.5 line spacing and 12
point font. Five copies of written testimonies may either be submitted
before the hearing to the addressee listed above or to the registrar at
the hearing. As the hearing schedule allows, unscheduled testimonies
will be accommodated. All testimonies (recorded and written) will
become a part of the public domain.
Dated: September 3, 1999.
Richard Kopanda,
Executive Officer, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-23971 Filed 9-14-99; 8:45 am]
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