Submission Process
During open submission periods, program developers and other interested parties can submit interventions for potential review and inclusion on the NREPP website. This page provides information about minimum requirements for review, ineligible interventions, and where to find more information about the open submission process and minimum requirements.
Minimum Requirements
To be eligible for NREPP review, an intervention must meet the following three minimum requirements:
- Research or evaluation of the intervention has assessed mental health or substance use outcomes among individuals, communities, or populations OR other behavioral health-related outcomes on individuals, communities, or populations with or at risk of mental health issues or substance use problems.
- Evidence of these outcomes has been demonstrated in at least one study using an experimental or quasi-experimental design. Experimental designs require random assignment, a control or comparison group, and pre- and post-intervention outcome assessments. Quasi-experimental designs do not require random assignment, but do require a comparison or control group and pre- and post-intervention outcome assessments. Comparison/ control groups must be a no-treatment control group, a wait-list control group, a treatment-as-usual comparison group, or an intervention that is presumed to be ineffective or substantially less effective than the intervention (e.g., a “placebo” control or, in cases in which providing no treatment might be considered unethical, less effective treatments, even if not treatment-as-usual, such as “supportive therapy”). Studies with single-group, pretest-posttest designs or single-group, longitudinal/multiple time series do not meet this requirement, but will be considered to identify emerging programs and practices for consideration in the Learning Center.
Comparative effectiveness trials, in which two interventions, both presumed to be equally effective, are compared, and studies in which the effects of the same intervention on various subpopulations are compared or in which various doses or components of the same intervention are compared will not be reviewed, but may be submitted as supporting documentation.
- The results of these studies have been published in a peer-reviewed journal or other professional publication, or documented in a comprehensive evaluation report, published within the previous 25 years. Comprehensive evaluation reports must include a review of the literature, theoretical framework, purpose, methodology, findings/results with statistical analysis and p values for significant outcomes, discussion, and conclusions.
Applicants are required to provide full-text documents at the time of submission that demonstrate the intervention meets these minimum requirements. Other research articles, published or unpublished evaluation reports, grant final reports, and replication studies may be submitted as additional supporting documentation. Note: Abstracts or links to partial articles are regarded as incomplete and will not be considered.
Ineligible Interventions
The following types of interventions are not eligible for review:
- Stand-alone pharmacologic treatments are not eligible for review and should not be submitted to NREPP. The evidence base for pharmacologic treatments is reviewed and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA–approved pharmacotherapy interventions (on-label use) are considered for NREPP review only when combined with one or more behavioral or psychosocial treatment(s).
- Interventions that have been developed or evaluated with funds or other support, either partially or wholly, from organizations whose goals or activities are determined to be inconsistent with SAMHSA’s mission.
Applicants are required to provide full-text documents at the time of submission that demonstrate the intervention meets these minimum requirements. Other research articles, published or unpublished evaluation reports, grant final reports, and replication studies may be submitted as additional supporting documentation. Note: Abstracts or links to partial articles are regarded as incomplete and will not be considered.
For More Information
To submit questions or comments about the open submission process or minimum requirements for review, please contact us by email at
nrepp@samhsa.hhs.gov, by phone at 1-866-43NREPP (1-866-436-7377), or through the online
contact form.
Announcements About Future Open Submission Periods
All open submission periods will be announced on the NREPP website. If you wish to receive emailed announcements about future open submission periods, please join our
mailing list.
Revised 9/30/15