CSAP's mission is to provide national leadership in the Federal effort to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug problems. These problems are intrinsically linked to other serious national problems such as: crime, violence, rising health care costs, academic failure, HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy, and low work productivity. CSAP connects people and resources to innovative ideas and strategies, and encourages efforts to reduce and eliminate alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug problems both in the United States and internationally. CSAP fosters the development of comprehensive, culturally appropriate prevention policies and systems that are based on scientifically defensible principles and target both individuals and the environments in which they live. CSAP participates in the development of new knowledge about prevention, disseminates it in a "user friendly" manner, and encourages its applications in settings where it is likely to bear fruit.

NCADI is the information arm of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. As the world's largest resource for current information and materials concerning substance abuse, NCADI offers the services of qualified information specialists with English and Spanish capability, distribution of free or low-cost prevention materials in many media, a repertoire of culturally diverse prevention resources tailored to the use of many different audiences, customized searches producing annotated bibliographies, access to voluminous Prevention Materials and the Treatment Resources databases, and rapid dissemination of Federal grant announcements in the area of substance abuse.

NIAAA supports and conducts biomedical and behavioral research on the causes, consequences, treatment, and prevention of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. The Institute also provides leadership in the national effort to reduce the severe and often fatal consequences of such problems.

NIDA's mission is to lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction. This charge has two critical components: The first is the strategic support and conduct of research across a broad range of disciplines. The second is to ensure the rapid and effective dissemination and use of the results of that research to significantly improve drug abuse and addiction prevention, treatment, and policy.

NIMH conducts and supports research nationwide on mental illness and mental health, including studies of the brain, behavior, and mental health services. Among the Institute's many research interests are children and adolescents who suffer from or who are at risk for serious mental disorders and learning abilities, special mental health issues involving suicidal youths and perpetrators and victims of violence, and prevention of mental illness and promotion of mental health.