FY 2015 Report on Conference Spending by 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration (SAMHSA) 

Center for Mental Health Services

Tribal Justice Policy Academy

Dates: 6/09/2015 – 6/11/2015

Venue, City State or Country: Westin Crystal City, Arlington, VA 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This policy academy for tribes 

focused on the reentry of tribal youth involved with the juvenile justice system transitioning from 

the justice system to community based behavioral health services. Members of multijurisdictional teams worked together to identify and implement innovative and culturally relevant 

approaches and strategies for their reentry. The hope was to increase collaboration and 

communication among key tribal stakeholders who are responsible for plan implementation at 

the policy and operational levels so plans could be implemented when tribes returned home.

Total Estimated Cost: $241,292

Total Attendees: 58

Total Feds on Travel: 4 (local)

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 44

State Justice Policy Academy

Dates: 4/28/2015 - 4/30/2015

Venue, City, State or Country: Hyatt Regency, Bethesda, MD

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: Held for states to increase the 

number of successful re-entry into their communities of tribal youth with behavioral health issues 

who have come into contact with the juvenile justice system.

Total Estimated Cost: $183,172
Total Attendees: 92

Total Feds on Travel: 5 (local)

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 52

Center for Substance Abuse Prevention

Prevention Leadership Academy - 2015

Dates: 5/4/2015 - 5/6/2015

Venue, City, State or Country: SAMHSA 1 Choke Cherry, Rockville MD

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: The Prevention Leadership 

Academy is SAMHSA's sole workforce development activity for the nation's state leaders in the 

substance abuse prevention field. This interactive training is geared to increase/enhance/build 

skills of the National Prevention Network representatives.

Total Estimated Cost: $111,065

Total Attendees: 45

Total Feds on Travel: 20 (local)

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 25

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment

Pathways to Behavioral Health Equity: Addressing Disparities in Men 

and Boys of Color

Dates: 3/15/2015 - 3/17/2015

Venue, City, State or Country: American Psychological Association (APA) Conference 

Center, Washington, D.C.

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: The meeting addressed

disparities in men and boys of color and the knowledge gap on effective evidence-based 

interventions for addressing trauma and stress-related disorders in men and boys across racial 

and ethnic minority groups. The meeting focused on issues that created particular concern in 

the assessment and evaluation of behavioral health conditions among men and boys, including 

misdiagnosis, diagnostic bias, and the availability of screening instruments and treatment 
strategies that are valid and culturally appropriate. This meeting was aligned with the five focus 

areas and intent of the President's My Brother's Keeper initiative.

Total Estimated Cost: $101,263

Total Attendees: 85

Total Feds on Travel: 4 

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 81

American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) 

2015

Dates: 3/28/2015 - 4/01/2015

Venue, City, State or Country: Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, GA

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: The purpose of this conference 

was to: 1) discuss the impact of health care reform on the delivery of medication assisted 

treatment (MAT) services and on individuals, families and communities; 2) identify and provide 

new information of critical importance to the field and evaluate its implications for patients, 

clinicians, administrators, and policy makers; 3) facilitate the integration of medication assisted 

recovery into medical care delivery models; 4) demonstrate techniques and highlight programs 

for improving clinical and program administration, and patient outcomes; and 5) to 

promote/encourage the benefits of community and healthcare/wellness partnerships and 

collaborations.

Total Estimated Cost: $124,105

Total Attendees: 500

Total Feds on Travel: 22

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 75

2015 Dr. Lonnie E. Mitchell Historically Black Colleges and Universities 

(HBCU)

Dates: 4/3/2015 - 4/4/2015

Venue, City, State or Country: Embassy Suites, Charleston, South Carolina

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: The key goals were to continue 

to increase and improve public awareness and support of behavioral health in Historically Black 

Colleges and Universities (HBCU) campuses and communities and to increase access to high-
quality care to reduce behavioral health disparities. The HBCU directly supports the strategic 

initiatives of Prevention of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness, Public Awareness and Support, 

and Recovery Support. Participants were provided current information on behavioral health 

prevention and intervention.

Total Estimated Cost: $176,644

Total Attendees: 120

Total Feds on Travel: 7 

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 113

OFFICE OF PROGRAM POLICY AND INNOVATION (OPPI)

SAMHSA Native Youth Conference

Dates: 11/14/2014 - 11/19/2014

Venue, City, State or Country: Gaylord National Harbor Resort; Oxon Hill, MD

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: The SAMHSA Tribal Grantees 

Native Youth Conference directly responded to the Administration’s efforts to improve the health 

and well-being of Native youth. The conference served multiple purposes, including: (1) 

leveraging grant investments by identifying evidence-based substance abuse prevention and 

treatment, as well as mental health promotion practices that are culturally tailored and will 

ultimately be shared by SAMHSA with the 566 federally recognized tribal nations and others 

working with Native youth; (2) providing information and evidence-based tools to Native youth to 

promote healthy behaviors, prevent suicide, and combat substance abuse in native

communities; and (3) providing mental health skills building training to native youth.

Total Estimated Cost: $627,078 

Total Attendees: 261

Total Feds on Travel: 35 (local)

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 226

National Network to Eliminate Disparities (NNED) Learn 2015

Dates: 4/12/2015 - 4/15/2015

Venue, City, State or Country: Hyatt Tamaya, Santa Ana Pueblo, NM
How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: The National Network to 

Eliminate Disparities (NNED) in Behavioral Health, a primary workforce development resource 

for SAMHSA, supports information sharing, training and technical assistance among 

organizations and communities dedicated to the behavioral health and well-being of diverse 

racial and ethnic minority communities. The NNED Learn 2015 was a competitive opportunity 

for NNED members to participate in trainings that would otherwise be cost prohibitive for them 

to attend. Organizations are selected based on their documented capability to implement and 

sustain a specific evidence-based practice. This training enabled NNED organizations to better 

position themselves to meet these requirements and the service capacity expansion needs 

resulting from the increase in the number of diverse individuals who became eligible for health 

insurance. The NNED Learn 2015 anticipated that staff from approximately 50 communitybased organizations and 10 tribes/tribal organizations were trained.

Total Estimated Cost: $225,590

Total Attendees: 117

Total Feds on Travel: 5 

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 112