Who is responsible for DAWN?

Authorized by the 21st Century Cures Act in December 2016, the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) is a data collection program of CBHSQ. SAMHSA is required and authorized, under section 42 U.S.C. §290aa-4(d)(1)(A), to collect the number of individuals admitted to the emergency rooms of hospitals as a result of the abuse of alcohol or other drugs. SAMHSA is authorized to receive protected health information from hospital EDs for the purpose of public health surveillance under the HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 C.F.R. 164.512(b)(1)). Such disclosures are permitted and do not require the authorization of the patient.