Senior woman comforting a mature man in group therapy at a coworking

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Public Awareness Support Strategic Communications

Overview

Synergy supports the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Office of Communications efforts to reduce the impact of substance misuse and mental illness on America’s communities through the Public Awareness Support contract. Whether designing products for Recovery Month in September or developing products in English and Spanish to promote the launch of SAMHSA’s 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, Synergy provides a full suite of strategic communications support by developing customized messages, materials, social media, and television and radio public service announcements, and by providing media outreach and website support. Synergy is currently leading the development of a national recovery campaign targeting diverse populations of young adults who are most affected by substance misuse and mental illness. 

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988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Poster

Impact

Our rigorous reputational analysis—which assessed how SAMHSA is viewed by stakeholders and the public—provided a robust foundation for increasing awareness about substance misuse and mental disorders, as well as for developing the national recovery campaign targeting young adults. Support for SAMHSA’s Recovery Month efforts included the development of a web page and toolkit for the observance, as well as planning and execution of a panel event titled “Young Adults in Recovery—Making Small Choices, Every Day" as part of Mobilize Recovery Across America 2022. The Recovery Month webpage had more than 66,000 views in 2022, up from 29,000 the previous year, and the toolkit was downloaded more than 2,000 times. The recovery panel event reached more than 16,000 viewers.

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Poster
  • 2022 Recovery Month Toolkit
  • SAMHSA What We Do, When We Do It poster
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Poster

Capabilities

  • Communications Research and Reputational Analysis
  • Campaign Development
  • Focus Groups
  • Partnerships with Influencers and Celebrities
  • Stakeholder Outreach
  • Materials Development
  • Speeches and Presentations
  • Social Media Support
  • Graphics
  • Spanish-Language Translations and Adaptations

Audiences

  • Diverse Members of the General Public
  • Substance Use Treatment Providers
  • Mental Health Services Providers
  • Nonprofit Organizations
  • Media
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