Prevention workforce assessed for the first time: SAMHSA and NASADAD uncover barriers to retention

People who choose to work in substance use prevention do so out of “altruism,” according to the first‐ever assessment of the prevention workforce. But the pay is so low and the job security so poor that substance use prevention workers are hard to recruit and retain in the workforce. The assessment is a report, “The Substance Use Prevention Workforce: Results of a National Assessment,” which was ordered by Congress in 2024 in recognition of the need for a prevention workforce and which directed the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to “complete a comprehensive national study regarding the substance use prevention workforce.” Congress directed SAMHSA to consult with the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Agency Directors (NASADAD) and other stakeholders in developing the report, which was released in September.