N-SUMHSS Frequently Asked Questions

The National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey (N-SUMHSS) is SAMHSA’s annual survey of all active substance use and mental health facilities in the United States, its territories, and the District of Columbia. It is the most comprehensive national source of data on substance use and mental health treatment facilities in the United States, its territories, and D.C. The N-SUMHSS is intended to provide behavioral health services providers, researchers, and federal, state, and local governments with information about the number and characteristics of substance use and mental health treatment facilities nationwide.

In 2021, SAMHSA combined the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) and the National Mental Health Services Survey (N-MHSS) into the National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey (N-SUMHSS), making it the most comprehensive source of data on treatment services provided by substance use and mental health facilities in the United States, its territories, and D.C. The legacy N-SSATS and N-MHSS data and reports can be accessed from the SAMHSA website here: https://www.samhsa.gov/data/data-we-collect. The N-SUMHSS should not be compared statistically with previous tables from the N-MHSS and N-SSATS as it is a new survey.

Completing the National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey (N-SUMHSS) qualifies facilities to be listed in SAMHSA’s FindTreatment.gov, the most comprehensive resource for persons seeking treatment for mental and substance use disorders in the United States, its territories, and D.C. for substance use and/or mental disorders. To increase the visibility of treatment services available in response to the growing demand, SAMHSA shares facility information from FindTreatment.gov with commercially available search engines to help facilitate greater access to mental health and substance use treatment services.

The National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey (N-SUMHSS) state specific profiles can be accessed from the SAMHSA website here: https://www.samhsa.gov/data/data-we-collect/n-sumhss-national-substance-use-and-mental-health-services-survey. Each state profile includes data on the location, characteristics, services offered, and the number of clients in treatment for both substance use and mental health treatment facilities in the state.

The N-SUMHSS should not be compared statistically with previous tables from the N-MHSS and N-SSATS as it is a new survey.