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Commentary on the Revision of SAMHSA’s National Outcome Measures (NOMs) for Discretionary Programs

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Abstract

Data collection is an integral part of government agencies like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), for reporting program outcomes and accountability. SAMHSA-funded community behavioral health programs have been evaluated by the National Outcome Measures (NOMs) since 2007. NOMs collects data on important aspects of client health including but not limited to mental health symptoms, functioning, and social connectedness through interviews with clients. Since its inception, NOMs has gone through a number of revisions. The most recent revision in 2021 has significant implications for program evaluation and research. This commentary provides an overview of the history of the NOMs followed by a review and critique of the recent changes with a particular attention to revisions in how responses are recorded. Implications of the NOMs are discussed with respect to its utility in evaluation, practice, and research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education, Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 11402, Bellflower Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106-7167, USA

    Michelle Riske-Morris PhD, JD, David L. Hussey PhD, LISW-S, Tugba Olgac PhD, LSW, Jesse Bassett M.Div. & Grayson Holt

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  1. Michelle Riske-Morris PhD, JD
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  2. David L. Hussey PhD, LISW-S
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  3. Tugba Olgac PhD, LSW
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  4. Jesse Bassett M.Div.
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  5. Grayson Holt
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Correspondence to Tugba Olgac PhD, LSW.

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Riske-Morris, M., Hussey, D.L., Olgac, T. et al. Commentary on the Revision of SAMHSA’s National Outcome Measures (NOMs) for Discretionary Programs. J Behav Health Serv Res 51, 302–308 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-023-09868-x

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