Data Sources

SAMHSA conducts research on the mental health and substance use rates across the United States. This data is collected through several sources and surveys, which are listed below.

For more information, you can learn about the Data We Collect on the SAMHSA Data Website.

Data Source Finder

Not sure where to start? Use the Data Source Finder to learn about SAMHSA data sources and to find relevant public-use files.

Ongoing Studies

What type of data set are you looking for?

Mental health Substance use Data sets with both mental health and substance use data

Mental Health Data

What type of mental health information are you looking for?

Population Survey Information About Individuals Surveys From Treatment Facilities Client-Level Data For Those In Treatment At State Mental Health Agencies None Of These. Let Me Start Over.

Substance Use Data

What substance use data are you looking for?

Information on substance use by individuals Information about treatment facilities Information from emergency departments The rates at which individuals enter treatment The rates at which individuals leave treatment None of these. Let me start over.

N-MHSS

The National Mental Health Services Survey (N-MHSS) collects statistics on the services and characteristics of mental health treatment facilities across the U.S. The annual survey reports national- and state-level data on both public and private specialty mental health treatment facilities. This includes psychiatric hospitals; nonfederal general hospitals with separate psychiatric units; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers; residential treatment centers for children and for adults; community mental health centers; outpatient, day treatment, or partial hospitalization mental health facilities; and multi-setting (nonhospital) mental health facilities. This survey is a companion to the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS).

MH-CLD

Mental Health Client-Level Data (MH-CLD) and the Mental Health Treatment Episode Data Set (MH-TEDS) provide data from state mental health agencies. This includes information on mental health diagnoses and also treatment outcomes, demographics, and substance use characteristics for individuals in mental health treatment services that report to state administrative data systems.

NSDUH

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), formerly the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, is an annual survey conducted since 1990. NSDUH measures the use of illegal drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, and the misuse of prescription drugs. It also measures substance use disorders and mental health care. Estimates are provided at the national, state, and local level and can be used to follow trends in substance use and mental health.

NSDUH

DAWN

The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) is a nationally representative public health surveillance system that monitors drug-related visits to hospital emergency departments (ED). DAWN is used to monitor trends in substance use and misuse, emerging new substances and combinations, as well as to estimate the impact of substance use on the nation’s healthcare system. Data for ED visits include demographics, substances involved, toxicology confirmation, route of administration, type of case, and disposition of the patient following their visit.

TEDS-A

The Treatment Episode Data Set–Admissions (TEDS-A) is a national data system of annual admissions to substance use treatment facilities. Some states report only publicly funded admissions, while other states collect privately funded admissions from facilities that receive public funding. The data include demographics on all available admissions for clients ages 12 and over as well as substance use characteristics such as substances used, age at first use, and route of use.

TEDS-D

The Treatment Episode Data Set–Discharges (TEDS-D) reports information on annual discharges from substance use treatment facilities. Some states report only publicly funded admissions, while other states collect privately funded admissions from facilities that receive public funding. The data include demographics on all available admissions for clients ages 12 and over as well as substance use characteristics such as substances used, age at first use, and route of use.

N-SSATS

The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) is a census designed to collect information from all substance use treatment facilities in the 50 states, Washington, DC, and the U.S. territories. Facilities included are both public and private, and the yearly data collection aims to characterize and quantify the current state of the U.S. substance use treatment delivery system.