Frances M. Harding is the Director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), and is recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts in the field of alcohol and drug policy. Director Harding serves as the lead for SAMHSA’s Strategic Initiative on Prevention of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness, which maximizes opportunities to create environments where youth, adults, families, communities, and systems are motivated and empowered to manage their overall emotional, behavioral, and physical health. Director Harding has held numerous national positions, including serving as president of the National Prevention Network, an organization representing the alcohol and drug abuse prevention offices in all 50 states, and as New York State’s representative to the Board of Directors for the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors. In 2004, she became the first non-researcher to receive the prestigious Science to Practice Award from the International Society for Prevention Research.
