Ruth Sanchez-Way, Ph.D.

Acting Director
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention

Dr. Sanchez-Way currently serves as the Acting Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention services in the United States. As Acting CSAP Director, Dr. Sanchez-Way develops Federal policy, advises the SAMHSA Administrator and other senior officials on policy and program matters, and provides leadership to CSAP on a number of important CSAP initiatives and activities, including:

• Providing leadership and working with State substance abuse-related systems with respect to the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (with approximately $304 million devoted to prevention programs).
  
  
• Developing and supporting national public education and awareness efforts, such as the Girl Power! and Reality Check campaigns; the Starting Early/Starting Smart and Hispanic/Latino initiatives; and the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information. Dr. Sanchez-Way is an active member of CSAP's Girl Power! public education campaign team and CSAP's Hispanic/Latino Initiative.
  
  
• Guiding CSAP's Knowledge Development and Application agenda and the implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of grant-supported studies and their findings to answer critical questions regarding prevention/intervention, especially in the context of current systems of health care.
  
  
• Directing the staff of approximately 130 CSAP employees and managing CSAP's budget.
  
  
• Providing leadership for the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Initiative, a key HHS and Administration effort to respond to the critical public health problem of youth substance abuse.

Dr. Sanchez-Way most recently served as CSAP's Director of the Division of State and Community Systems Development (DSCSD). This Division assists States and communities with developing their prevention systems and infrastructure and with developing and applying science-based prevention methodology and technology. DSCSD is responsible for several integrated community and State-related functions, which include reviewing and analyzing the State Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Plans; monitoring the implementation of the Synar amendment, which strives to limit access of tobacco products to minors; providing infrastructure development for State prevention systems; expanding and mobilizing State prevention resources through the State Incentive Grant Program; overseeing the Community Partnership and Coalition demonstration grants; and developing quality assurance guidelines such as the Prevention Enhancement Protocols.

In the past, Dr. Sanchez-Way has served as both the Acting CSAP Director and the Acting CSAP Deputy Director. As SAMHSA's former Associate Administrator for Minority Health Concerns, Dr. Sanchez-Way was responsible for monitoring and coordinating SAMHSA-wide prevention and treatment activities and programs that address the changing needs and concerns of racial/ethnic minority populations.

Dr. Sanchez-Way has served as an officer and member on several national boards, including the National Health Council; the National Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting, and Prevention; and the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency. She is a co-founder of the National Organization of Latino Social Workers. She currently serves as a National Operational Volunteer for the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. Dr. Sanchez-Way volunteers as a church lector and as an officer of her sailing club.

Dr. Sanchez-Way received a Ph.D. in Public Administration from New York University, an M.S.W. from Fordham University, and a B.S. degree in chemistry from St. John's University, New York. She also completed the Management Development Program at Emory University, School of Business Administration; the Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives at George Washington University; and the Public Health Service Primary Care Policy Fellowship.

Dr. Sanchez-Way is the recipient of numerous awards. Most recently, she received the Senior Executive Service (SES) Presidential Meritorious Executive Rank Award for 1998. The Presidential Rank Awards recognize SES members who exemplify the highest level of integrity, leadership, and personal conduct and who consistently demonstrate exceptional performance.