The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released a report assessing the substance use prevention workforce.

• Why it’s important: Delivering substance use prevention via a skilled workforce is a cost-effective way to avoid the consequences of substance misuse.

The findings: An assessment of substance use prevention professionals supporting SAMHSA-funded programs found…

• Composition of the workforce: Half of respondents were middle-aged or older, and the workforce is predominantly female, reinforcing the need to recruit younger individuals and males into the prevention workforce.
• Characteristics of the workforce: 90% of respondents work full-time in prevention. Nearly half often juggle direct service and supervisory roles, and staff reported a wide range of job functions, indicating areas for professional development and training.
• Staff recruitment: 78% of respondents joined the prevention field to help others, often driven by personal or family experiences with substance use. Over 76% worked in other occupations before working in prevention (e.g., education), suggesting possible avenues to attract new professionals. The mean salary of $45,000 is significantly below similar occupations, creating a disincentive to enter and remain in prevention positions.
• Staff turnover and retention: 37% of respondents plan to leave their positions or the field in the next 3 years, a level of turnover that is destabilizing and expensive. There were several workplace characteristics for which employees’ stated importance did not align with the benefits offered, including a career ladder, credentialing reimbursement, and continuing education credits.
• Professional development: 87% of the workforce has a college degree, but there is limited access to prevention-specific degree programs. 60% of prevention workers are not certified, and they often lack the support or incentives to pursue credentials. 90% of employers provide professional development, but the high turnover and ongoing changes in prevention science necessitate continuous training.