Written By: Frances M. Harding, Director, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
On May 21, 2012, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. EDT, SAMHSA will host Getting to Outcomes in Underage Drinking Prevention, a live, interactive Webcast about communities that are using Town Hall Meetings to engage individuals and organizations in the use of evidence-based environmental prevention. Please join a panel of national, state, and local activists in discussing approaches leading to positive outcomes in reducing underage drinking and its consequences.
This Webcast supports SAMHSA’s National Prevention Week from May 20 to 26, 2012. …

Beginning tomorrow, SAMHSA looks forward to celebrating National Women’s Health Week (NWHW) May  13-19th. The week is a national effort led by an alliance of organizations and individuals to raise awareness about manageable steps that women can take to improve their health as well as help underserved women gain access to important preventative health care services.
The theme for the National Women’s Health Week 2012 is “It’s Your Time.” This is a fitting motto because NWHW empowers women to make their health a top priority. It also encourages communities to support the important …

Cross-posted from Whitehouse.gov
By Pam Hyde
This past week while I was in Chicago, I had the opportunity to attend a great event hosted by Equality Illinois to discuss the President’s commitment to combating barriers and promoting equity for LGBT people and underscore some of the important work that is being undertaken at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Some of the efforts that I shared highlight the importance of equality, including the updated Health Plan Finder tool on Healthcare.gov.  This update will enable all LGBT Americans to search specifically for insurance …

Guest Post Written By: Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, Executive Director, American Public Health Association (APHA)
New research suggests that nearly half of all Americans have or will experience a mental illness at some point in their lifetime. Mental illness is on track to surpass all chronic disease as the major cause of disability worldwide within the next decade – and it’s also growing to be one of the costliest. SAMHSA projects that the cost of treating mental health and substance abuse is projected to reach $239 billion within the next few years.
It is …