Services provided by SAAS:
Advocacy: SAAS represents the interests of providers in Congress and federal agencies. SAAS is a leading advocate for increased funding of addiction prevention and treatment programs. No other organization represents state provider associations and community-based prevention and treatment programs in Washington.
- SAAS works with member state associations to educate and inform Congress on significant funding increases needed in the federal substance abuse block grants and additional prevention, treatment, research and education programs. Since 1996, SAAS has worked in partnership with the Legal Action Center and other advocacy organizations to help secure federal funding increases of over $1 billion for these programs.
- SAAS promotes the interests of prevention and treatment programs as Congress considers Medicaid reform, health coverage parity for substance use disorders, ex-offender re-entry legislation, reauthorization of SAMHSA programs, substance abuse issues under the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program and other legislation. Twice a year, leaders of the SAAS' member associations meet in Washington with key Representatives and Senators and Chairs of the Congressional Committees.
- SAAS meets regularly with the SAMHSA Administrator and other senior officials of SAMHSA, NIAAA, and NIDA to make sure that they understand the challenges and practical realities facing community-based providers.
Education and Information Dissemination: SAAS is a source of essential information for state associations and providers and other stakeholders.
- The SAAS E-News has become an important source of information for members of SAAS-affiliated state associations. The newsletter covers policy and clinical developments, grant opportunities, prevention and treatment resources and online training opportunities.
- SAAS has received SAMHSA funding to join with the National Conference of State Legislatures in an effort to educate state legislators on realistic expectations for treatment outcomes and the effectiveness of programs.
- Membership Meetings, held twice a year, are a forum for discussing both federal and state policy issues and the membership, revenue, advocacy and other challenges that state associations face.
- The SAAS National Conference for Executive and Senior Managers in Addiction Services, inaugurated in Chicago in 2006, is a significant peer-to-peer educational opportunity.
Quality Improvement/Program Development: SAAS is an active participant in national conversations regarding outcome measures and improved protocols for the addiction profession. SAAS is committed to improving quality programs through research and evidence-based practices.
- SAAS carefully tracks the development of National Outcomes Measures which apply to the block grant and SAMHSA discretionary grants. SAAS is insisting that federal and state officials carefully consider the impact of this new system on providers and will be involved in further development of outcomes measures.
- As the demand for use of evidence-based practices and other quality improvement efforts expands, SAAS represents providers in several major venues: the National Quality Forum, the Institute of Medicine, the Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment and other initiatives.
- SAAS participates regularly in activities of SAMHSA, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to promote clinically relevant research and facilitate the transfer of science to practice.
- SAMHSA asked SAAS to convene a meeting of community-based providers to identify their priorities for system changes to improve treatment of people with co-occurring disorders, as input for the National Policy Academy on Co-Occurring Mental and Substance Abuse Disorders. SAAS was one of four national organizations partnering with SAMHSA to plan the Policy Academy.
Practical Membership Benefits: SAAS has arranged with a number of firms to offer essential products and services to providers at a discount.
- The SAAS E-News has become an important source of information for members of SAAS-affiliated state associations. The newsletter covers policy and clinical developments, grant opportunities and prevention and treatment resources.
- SAAS members also receive the Legal Action Center's Washington Weekly Roundup while Congress is in session - a compilation of key legislative developments.
