The Center on Substance Abuse and Mental Illness (S.A.M.I.)
Improving the quality of life for individuals with substance use and mental disorders
The Center on Substance Abuse and Mental Illness at the Mandel School is focused on improving
the quality of life for individuals who suffer with chemical dependency and mental disorders.
Faculty members also address the intersection of both illnesses, which are commonly
referred to as dual disorders or co-occurring disorders. Environmental, social and psychological
factors are all carefully analyzed to determine the best approach to help individuals maintain
their physical and emotional health.
Over the past year, center faculty have continued to make progress on important
funded-research and training initiatives. In addition to conducting research, faculty members at
the Center on Substance Abuse and Mental Illness provide analysis that is designed to
enhance practice and service delivery, and train graduate students to recognize best
practices in the field. Their integrative approach allows students to better understand how
individuals may experience a wide range of psychosocial issues related to these
disorders.
Research Provides Practical Insights to Inform Policy and Practice for Addiction, Mental
Illness and Co-occurring Disorders
Advances in brain-imaging technologies have helped researchers in the biological sciences gain a
better understanding of neural anatomy and neural processes, including those associated with
addictions to alcohol and other drugs and those associated with severe mental illnesses such as
schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and severe depression.
Yet, despite this growing body of knowledge, the causes of addiction and mental illness still
elude investigators, leaving communities everywhere with some very practical questions for public
policy and public-health initiatives. So, as brain researchers continue to look for biological
causes and cures, other researchers, such as those affiliated with SAMI, continue to examine social
and psychological factors of the disorders, gaining insight into the consequences of the illnesses
and facilitators of recovery.
SAMI Center Co-Directors David E. Biegel, PhD, Henry L. Zucker Professor of Social Work Practice
at the Mandel School, and Mark I. Singer, PhD, Leonard W. Mayo Professor in Family and Child
Welfare, are among these researchers. They note that, this past year, faculty members continued to
make progress on important funded-research and training initiatives, including:
- Research on pre-natal
cocaine exposure in babies
- A look at the social networks of
women
- The importance of social connectedness and the
clubhouse model
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