SAMHSA Focuses on Behavioral Health and Social Media
Each week, the Higher Education Center showcases recent developments in the field of AOD abuse and violence prevention in higher education that may include new data and resources, upcoming events and programs, funding opportunities, and learning opportunities. To see a listing of previous This Week! features, visit the This Week! archive.
April 15, 2011
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has developed a robust “digital engagement” program with established presences on four major social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. It also uses its blog as the hub for these behavioral health–focused efforts. The goal of this SAMHSA program is to increase and improve communications with the behavioral health field, public and nonprofit organizations, the recovery community, and other audiences concerned with substance abuse and mental health issues.
SAMHSA’s use of these tools provides a useful way for prevention specialists to gather and disseminate information, and it demonstrates how social media may be used effectively. According to SAMHSA News, the tools serve two key purposes regarding outreach and feedback:
- Social media allows new ways of getting critical information about behavioral health directly to providers of prevention and treatment services and to the public.
- Social media creates ways for SAMHSA to receive feedback and hear what people have to say in their own words about the behavioral health issues at hand.
For more information about social media and SAMHSA’s Strategic Initiative on Public Awareness and Support, visit the SAMHSA Web site.