N-SUMHSS 2021 Cover Letter_Web Access Instructions_FAQs

Attachment B6: Cover Letter, Web Access Instructions, and FAQs
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration

March 31, 2021
Dear Facility Director:
I am writing to request your participation in the 2021 National Substance Use and Mental Health
Services Survey (N-SUMHSS). This annual voluntary survey, sponsored by the Federal government’s
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and conducted by [COMPANY],
collects data from all known substance use and mental health treatment facilities in the United States and its
jurisdictions. The N-SUMHSS replaces the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (NSSATS) and the National Mental Health Services Survey (N-MHSS).
To save you time completing the 2021 N-SUMHSS, the following features have been implemented:
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•
•
•

You will have the ability to go back and change answers, if necessary
Multiple questions are grouped together on the same web page
If you are responsible for completing the N-SUMHSS for more than one location, you can complete
multiple web surveys in a single session
A worksheet has been included in this packet to help you calculate client counts
Why should I do the N-SUMHSS today?

•
•

You will be done for the year and won’t be contacted again about completing the N-SUMHSS until next
year’s survey
Secure login information is readily accessible on the enclosed pink flyer

The survey should be completed by you or another person knowledgeable about this facility's daily
operations. If your facility no longer provides substance use or mental health treatment services, has had an
address change, or if you have any questions about the survey, please call the N-SUMHSS helpline at 1-888324-8337 or send an email to [WEBSITE].
We look forward to your participation in the 2021 N-SUMHSS!

Sincerely,
[CONTACT]
Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality
SAMHSA
Note:

If your organization offers treatment services at more than one location, you may receive a duplicate letter for
another facility at another location. The N-SUMHSS is designed to collect information about a single facility at a
single location, that is, the facility whose name and address is printed on the enclosed pink flyer. On the web, you
will be able to complete the survey for multiple locations at the same time.

Complete the 2021 N-SUMHSS Online!
1st Option

2nd Option

Access the survey at:

https://survey.nsumhss.com
Enter User ID and Password

USER ID:

Scan the QR Code

Open the camera application
on your smartphone and scan
it over the QR code to get to
the survey and enter your
USER ID and PASSWORD.

PASSWORD:

STATE ID: [STATE ID]
[FAC NAME1]: [FAC NAME 2]
[LOCATION ADDRESS 1]
[LOCATION ADDRESS 2]
[CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]

Questions? Want to request a paper
questionnaire?
Telephone Helpline: 1-888-324-8337 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET)
E-mail: [WEBSITE]

Thank you in advance for your participation!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
2021 National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey
(N-SUMHSS)
1.

We do not provide substance use or mental health treatment services at this location. Do we still need to complete
the questionnaire? Yes, we still need to hear from you so we can update our records. However, the number of questions
you will be asked is minimal.

2.

This facility is privately owned. We don’t get any Federal, State, or local funds. Should we participate in the survey?
Yes, it is very important to have information about all substance use and mental health treatment providers so that we can
properly describe our national behavioral health treatment network, including service availability.

3.

Is it mandatory that I complete this survey? Your participation is very important. Because the N-SUMHSS is the most
comprehensive source of data on alcohol, drug use, and mental health treatment facilities in the nation, policymakers at local,
State, and Federal levels use information from the N-SUMHSS to determine the extent of services available and what new or
expanded services may be needed. Facilities that respond to the survey are listed in SAMHSA’s online Behavioral Health
Treatment Services Locator, which can be found at: https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov.

4. We would like to participate, but we do not want our facility to be listed on SAMHSA’s online Behavioral
Health Treatment Services Locator. Is this possible? Yes, you can still participate in the survey. Near the end of
the survey questionnaire, there is a question that asks whether or not you want the facility listed on the Locator.
5.

Another facility in our organization will report our information in their questionnaire. Do we need to do anything?
Yes, we do need to hear from you! Certain modules of the 2021 N-SUMHSS questionnaire are designed to collect information
about the services offered at each individual facility. Even if another facility is providing information on the number of clients
in treatment at this facility, every facility should answer these modules of the questionnaire for itself.

6.

My organization has multiple facilities that participate in the N-SUMHSS, can I complete multiple web surveys at
once? Yes! If you are responsible for completing the N-SUMHSS for more than one location, you can complete multiple
web surveys at the same time.

7.

Will I be able to go back and change answers? Yes, you will see a button to update your answers and have the ability to
jump back and update previously-answered questions, even if you have left the session and logged off. You will be able to
go back in and make corrections until you click on the final submit button and receive your confirmation number.

8.

Is alcohol treatment considered substance abuse treatment for the N-SUMHSS? Yes.

9.

Our facility offers treatment to clients in their homes. It doesn’t seem to fit into any of the categories listed in the
N-SUMHSS—hospital inpatient, residential, or outpatient. What should I do? Home-based programs such as yours
are becoming more common. Although you may not consider home-based treatment to be regular outpatient treatment,
please count it as such for the purpose of the survey.

10. Our facility offers telemedicine/telehealth to clients; how should this be reported and what modes of service does
this include? Telemedicine/telehealth programs are growing approaches to substance use and mental health treatment
involving electronic communication between facility and client. This “remote” technological approach includes the use of
email, Internet, Web, mobile, interactive video, patient portals and desktop programs. Although you may not consider
telemedicine/telehealth to be regular outpatient treatment, please count it as such for the purpose of the survey.
11. If I report client counts for multiple facilities, how do I report which facilities I am including? You can report your
additional facilities in the online survey. You will be prompted to enter each facility that you are reporting for through the
web survey, which involves entering or selecting the facility name, location address, and facility phone number.
12. Where can I find more information about terms used in the N-SUMHSS? Definitions for some of the terms used in
the N-SUMHSS can be found at https://info.nsumhss.com. You can also call the N-SUMHSS helpline at 1-888-324-8337.
13. How do I achieve the best online experience? Although all browsers are supported, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari offer the
best experience completing the online survey. When using a mobile device, it is recommended that you view the screen
horizontally (landscape orientation).