Which agency, established in 1992, is responsible for prevention and treatment of addictive and mental disorders?

• A. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• B. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• C. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
• D. National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Answer: (A)

The agency you’re looking for is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, SAMHSA. It was established in 1992 to lead and coordinate prevention and treatment efforts for substance use disorders and mental health issues, providing funding, programs, and guidance to states and communities. That specific focus on both addiction and mental health services is what makes SAMHSA the best fit for this description.

By contrast, the CDC mainly concentrates on disease prevention and health threats; AHRQ focuses on research to improve health care quality and safety; NIH conducts biomedical and health-related research. None of those are centered on delivering prevention and treatment services for addictions and mental health in the way SAMHSA is.