FY 2018 Report on Conference Spending by Substance Abuse 

and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

Page 1 

Center for Mental Health Services 

Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF) Policy Academy: 

Implementing Suicide Prevention - Mayor's Challenge with VA 

Dates: 3/14-16/18 

Venue, City, State or Country: Park Hyatt, Washington, DC 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This event was held with VA federal partners to 

meet with mayor-endorsed, interagency teams from seven states/territories to work on formulating 

strategic plans for the purpose of focusing on addressing Veteran Suicide in their region. 

Total Estimated Cost: $447,703 

Total Attendees: 105

Total Feds on Travel: 6

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 91

Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) Combined Grantee Meeting

Dates: 3/19-21/18 

Venue, City, State or Country: Renaissance, Washington, DC 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This meeting was held to focus on promoting 

comprehensive implementation of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP) in order to 

achieve demonstrable reductions in youth suicide and youth suicide attempts. 

Total Estimated Cost: $148,685 

Total Attendees: 500

Total Feds on Travel: 5

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 20

Combined State Juvenile Justice Financing Diversion and Re-Entry Policy 

Academies

Dates: 4/17-19/18 

Venue, City, State or Country: Alexandrian, Alexandria, VA 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This combined policy academy enabled the 

rollout of tools and the development of state strategic plans to utilize financing policies and strategies in 

states and jurisdictions. 

Total Estimated Cost: $191,779 

Total Attendees: 86

Total Feds on Travel: 4

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 82
FY 2018 Report on Conference Spending by Substance Abuse 

and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

Page 2 

National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day

Date: 5/1018 

Venue, City State or Country: GWU, Washington, DC 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This annual event was held to raise awareness 

with the media and general public about the importance of children's mental health from birth, as well as 

showcase youth who have learned to thrive with mental health challenges. 

Total Estimated Cost: $121,116

Total Attendees: 420

Total Feds on Travel: 57

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 23

Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF) Conference: 

Implementing and Strengthening Veteran Suicide Prevention Practices

Dates: 5/16-17/18 

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

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: The purpose of this event was to bring together 

key veteran stakeholders for Suicide Prevention Gateway Training. This nation loses 20 veterans each 

day to suicide and only six of those are accessing VA care. Community members have a large role to 

play in reducing suicide deaths and increasing access to care for our nation’s heroes.

Total Estimated Cost: $355,251 

Total Attendees: 175

Total Feds on Travel: 6

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 125

Youth Policy Academy

Dates: 8/7-9/18 

Venue, City, State or Country: Capitol Hilton, Washington, DC 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This event was held to assist states in 

developing and implementing action plans that address development of systems, service provision, and 

treatment for youth experiencing homelessness. 

Total Estimated Cost: $419,650 

Total Attendees: 123

Total Feds on Travel: 15

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 108
FY 2018 Report on Conference Spending by Substance Abuse 

and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

Page 3 

Voice Awards

Date: 8/8/18 

Venue, City, State or Country: Bryce Hall, U of CA, Los Angeles, CA 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This event was held to honor consumer/peer 

leaders who have played a vital role in raising awareness and understanding of mental illness and 

substance use disorders, and promoting the reduction of negative perceptions of people with behavioral 

health problems.

Total Estimated Cost: $190,539 

Total Attendees: 520

Total Feds on Travel: 5

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 19

Homeless Policy Academy – Outreach and Engagement

Dates: 8/13-15/18 

Venue, City, State or Country: Westin, Los Angeles, CA 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This event was held to assist states in 

developing and implementing action plans that address development of systems, service provision, and 

treatment.

Total Estimated Cost: $420,142 

Total Attendees: 77

Total Feds on Travel: 15

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 62 

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment

MFP Workforce Development

Dates: 3/16-18/18 

Venue, City State or Country: Marriott, Little Rock, AR 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This event was held to provide and share 

knowledge of recent new developments, emerging issues, and trends related to behavioral health 

issues in the field. 

Total Estimated Cost: $239,245 

Total Attendees: 120

Total Feds on Travel: 1 

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 10 
FY 2018 Report on Conference Spending by Substance Abuse 

and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

Page 4 

Maternal Opioid Exposure Meeting

Dates: 4/9-10/18 

Venue, City, State or Country: Hilton, Rockville, MD 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: The meeting was on providing care for patients 

with opioid use disorder or those at risk for opioid overdose and addressed workforce competency for 

addiction and general healthcare professionals on reducing the diversion and abuse of prescription 

drugs. 

Total Estimated Cost: $125,000 

Total Attendees: 57

Total Feds on Travel: 13

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 26

MFP Workforce Development 

Dates: 5/21-22/18 

Venue, City State or Country: Sheraton, Reston, VA 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This event was held to provide and share 

knowledge of recent new developments, emerging issues, and trends related to behavioral health 

issues in the field. 

Total Estimated Cost: $239,245 

Total Attendees: 120

Total Feds on Travel: 0 

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 10

MFP Workforce Development

Dates: 6/14-16/18 

Venue, City State or Country: Renaissance, Baltimore, MD 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This event was held to provide and share 

knowledge of recent new developments, emerging issues, and trends related to behavioral health issues in the 

field. 

Total Estimated Cost: $239,245 

Total Attendees: 120

Total Feds on Travel: 0 

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 10
FY 2018 Report on Conference Spending by Substance Abuse 

and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

Page 5 

MFP Workforce Development

Dates: 7/31-8/2/18 

Venue, City State or Country: Embassy Suites, Richmond, VA 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This event was held to provide and share 

knowledge of recent new developments, emerging issues, and trends related to behavioral health 

issues in the field. 

Total Estimated Cost: $239,245 

Total Attendees: 120

Total Feds on Travel: 0 

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 10

MFP Workforce Development

Dates: 8/7-8/18 

Venue, City State or Country: Canopy Hotel, Rockville, MD 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This event was held to provide and share 

knowledge of recent new developments, emerging issues, and trends related to behavioral health 

issues in the field. 

Total Estimated Cost: $239,245 

Total Attendees: 120

Total Feds on Travel: 0 

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 10

TAP Meeting Region 5

Dates: 8/22-24/18 

Venue, City State or Country: Intercontinental Riverfront, St. Paul, MN 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This event was held to bring together SAMHSA 

staff and treatment professionals from the field to provide and/or share knowledge of recent new 

developments, emerging issues, and trends related to behavioral health issues in the field. 

Total Estimated Cost: $94,418 

Total Attendees: 93

Total Feds on Travel: 3 

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 90
FY 2018 Report on Conference Spending by Substance Abuse 

and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

Page 6 

Center for Substance Abuse Prevention

SAMHSA’s 14th Annual Prevention Day

Dates: 2/5/18

Venue, City, State or Country: Gaylord, Oxon Hill, MD 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: The annual Prevention Day event was held to 

communicate, coordinate, and collaborate with all of SAMHSA's grantees to address behavioral health 

in communities and states. It also offered in-depth training sessions geared specifically toward 

behavioral health professionals to provide assistance specific to substance abuse prevention and 

mental health promotion. 

Total Estimated Cost: $277,774 

Total Attendees: 2589 

Total Feds on Travel: 120

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 44

Office of Program Policy and Innovation

Criminal Justice Expert Panel

Dates: 3/12/18 

Venue, City, State or Country: SAMHSA, Rockville, MD 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This meeting was held with experts who will 

guide the formation of a public health approach to criminal justice for SAMHSA’s criminal justice 

portfolio. The meeting will have a focus on using social determinants of health and justice involvement 

to drive SAMHSA’s program and policy activities. 

Total Estimated Cost: $163,960

Total Attendees: 65

Total Feds on Travel: 20

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 45

Serious Mental Illness

Dates: 7/30-31/18 

Venue, City, State or Country: Hilton, Rockville, MD 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This meeting was held to provide an important 

forum and opportunity for state mental health directors to discuss emerging financing and delivery 

issues impacting mental health systems; to share experiences and innovative developments and best 

practices in financing, programmatic, administrative, and scientific areas; dialogue with key federal 

leaders; and to develop a consensus on key policy issues. 

Total Estimated Cost: $310,279

Total Attendees: 250

Total Feds on Travel: 10

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 107
FY 2018 Report on Conference Spending by Substance Abuse 

and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

Page 7 

SAMHSA Tribal Behavioral Health Conference

Dates: 8/20/18 

Venue, City, State or Country: Tamaya Hyatt, Albuquerque, NM 

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: This event was held to bring together SAMHSA 

staff and treatment professionals from the field to provide and/or share knowledge of recent new 

developments, emerging issues, and trends related to behavioral health issues in the field. 

Total Estimated Cost: $105,852

Total Attendees: 250

Total Feds on Travel: 15

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 196