D1 - The Critical Importance of Addressing Serious Mental Illness, Youth Mental Health, and Substance Use

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM MDT

Location: Bluebird 1A

As Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Christopher Carroll provides overall leadership for SAMHSA. Under his leadership, SAMHSA will lead the Department of Health and Human Services's efforts in changing the trajectory of increasing serious mental illness, addiction, and loss of life. In this session, he will discuss the vision for a future SAMHSA that is a focused and high-impact agency that promotes innovative programs and interventions that address mental illness and substance use challenges that our Nation's communities face.

Learning Objectives:

Examine SAMHSA's vision for the future of the agency including innovations in grant making and replicating or scaling efforts to expand their reach.
Analyze the chronic disease crisis impacting the Nation and the connections to substance use and early health risk behaviors that take root during childhood and adolescence.
Identify SAMHSA's Six Strategic Priorities and three cross-cutting principles that will be part of all aspects of their work.

Thought Leader(s)

Chrisopher Carroll, MSc

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Disclosure information not submitted.
Chuck Ingoglia, MSW

President and Chief Executive Officer
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Washington, District of Columbia

Disclosure information not submitted.