Frederic C. Blow, Ph.D. is a Professor and Director of the U-M Addiction Center in the Department of Psychiatry. He is a career researcher and educator in the field of alcohol and substance use screening, interventions, and treatments. The large body of his work has been directed to providing the research base and training scholars and clinicians alike. Dr. Blow currently has two NIAAA grants and has had continuous funding from the NIAAA since 1988, and extensive funding from NIDA, VA, and NIMH during the same period. He has led many federally-funded studies including international and US training grants focused on substance misuse and abuse.

Dr. Blow has a long history of funding related to research and program evaluation, and implementation of evidence-based treatments for substance use and mental health disorders. His areas of research expertise include alcohol brief interventions in healthcare settings, substance abuse prevention, substance abuse screening and diagnosis for older adults, serious mental illness and concurrent substance abuse, suicide prevention, mental health services research, and implementation of evidence-based substance abuse and mental health practices.

Eric Weakly is the Western Branch Chief in the Division of State and Community Systems Development, Center for Mental Health Services at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Division manages the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant, which provides funds and technical assistance to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 6 Pacific Jurisdictions. Grantees use the funds to provide comprehensive, community-based mental health services to people with serious mental illnesses, and to monitor progress in implementing the public mental health system. The Division also administers the Projects for Assistance in Transitions from Homelessness, the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness programs, the Minority Fellowship Program, and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Center for Excellence. Prior to working at SAMHSA, Eric worked at the Administration for Community Living working with the No Wrong Door/Aging and Disability Resource Centers, Inclusive Transportation, and Supported Decision-Making projects. Eric administered programs at the local level  on mental health, long-term services and support, and protective services. Prior to work in administration, Eric worked as a social worker with older adults living in nursing homes and their families and in-patient behavioral health.