The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the agency's Fiscal Year 2007 review priorities for mental health and substance use prevention and treatment programs and practices submitted to its National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP). The notice was published in the June 30 Federal Register.

NREPP is a voluntary rating and classification system designed to provide the public with reliable information on the scientific basis and practicality of interventions that prevent and/or treat mental and substance use disorders.

Under the new NREPP, minimum review criteria require interventions to: demonstrate one or more positive change outcomes in mental health and/or substance use among individuals, communities or populations; have results that are published in a peer-reviewed publication or documented in a comprehensive evaluation report; and provide documentation, such as manuals, guides, or training materials, to facilitate broader public dissemination of the intervention.

Priority review areas for substance use prevention include preventing or reducing substance abuse problems such as: underage drinking; inhalant abuse; use and abuse of marijuana; drug related suicide; alcohol and drug abuse among young adults; misuse of alcohol and prescription drugs among the elderly; or HIV/substance abuse problems.

Priority review areas for substance use prevention also include interventions that reduce risk factors or enhance protective factors, or address emerging substance abuse problems.

Priority review areas for substance abuse treatment include interventions to treat adolescents and adults with alcohol or drug use disorders that utilize screening, brief interventions and referral; outreach and engagement; treatment and rehabilitation; recovery support; or continuing care, self-care or aftercare.

Priority review areas for mental health include interventions that: foster consumer and family-provided mental health services; divert adults with serious mental illness and/or children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances from criminal and juvenile justice systems; develop alternatives to the use of seclusion and restraint for adults with serious mental illness and/or children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances; or prevent suicide in specific age groups.

Interested parties can review the complete Federal Register notice by clicking on "National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices" on the SAMHSA home page at www.samhsa.gov.