When Data Makes a Difference for Mental Health

As we begin Mental Health Awareness month, the Cloudburst Group remains relentlessly committed to supporting the essential work of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Millions of Americans are affected by mental illness and Cloudburst is proud to do our part to support the organizations and communities that come to their aid.??

Since 2009, Cloudburst has worked in support of SAMHSA, contributing to nearly 100 discretionary grant programs and aiding the evaluation of a dozen programs aimed toward reducing substance use or supporting mental health services. Over the years, Cloudburst has developed tools for local evaluators to collect data on wide-ranging receipt of support services like behavioral health and housing by veterans diverted from the criminal justice system into trauma-informed care.?

Cloudburst has also provided technical assistance and training to nearly all of SAMHSA’s discretionary grantees and project officers on the collection, management, and utilization of data.

Today, Cloudburst is conducting qualitative research efforts under the Program Evaluation for Prevention Contract (PEPC), which are focused on evaluating the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention’s Strategic Prevention Framework for Prescription Drugs (SPF Rx) program. SPF Rx provides funds to eligible states and jurisdictions to promote collaboration between states/tribes and pharmaceutical and medical communities to understand the risks of overprescribing medications to youth ages 12-17 and adults 18 years of age and older, and to achieve declines in substance use rates. To this end, we have conducted multiple waves of interviews with grantee program directors and associated qualitative data analysis efforts. Cloudburst also provides technical expertise to grantees via the PEPC Help Desk.

If you would like to explore the mental health and substance use resources published by SAMHSA please visit: https://store.samhsa.gov/?

To learn more about Cloudburst’s work in support of mental health services please visit: https://cloudburstgroup.com/services/public-health/