November 20, 1998

APA commended Congress last month for approving critical federal budget increases for Fiscal 1999 that will advance psychiatric research and mental health and substance abuse treatment programs.

"We applaud the 15 percent increase in the total budget of the National Institutes of Health, which amounts to a $2 billion expansion in research funding over the last fiscal year. We are also pleased with the 15 percent increase in the budget of the National Institute of Mental Health and similar increases in the budgets of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institute on Drug Abuse," said Ronald Shellow, M.D., chair of APA's Joint Commission on Government Relations, in an interview with Psychiatric News.

Jay Cutler, J.D., director of APA's Division of Government Relations, told Psychiatric News, "The historic proportion of the congressional increases for NIH funding for psychiatric research are a testimony to APA advocacy. Not only has scientific research brought us documented effective treatment of mental and addictive disorders-which has saved lives, improved services, and saved billions of taxpayer dollars-but also there are new genetic, brain function, and behavioral scientific research opportunities."

The final budget agreement approved by Congress last month also contained a 16 percent increase in the total budget for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The largest increase among programs for which APA lobbied was 13 percent in the PATH (Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness) program, which will provide much-needed treatment, counseling, and services for thousands of homeless people suffering from mental illnesses.

Funding for the Children's Mental Health Services program was increased by 7 percent over last year, which will allow states and communities to continue receiving grants to stimulate the development of interagency systems of care for children and adolescents with mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders, according to APA's written statement presented to a House appropriations subcommittee in February.

The Community Mental Health Block Grant, through which the federal government partners with states to provide a range of critical service for people with mental illnesses, received a 5 percent increase over last year, as did the Center for Mental Health Services.

Cutler commented, "Since congressional investments for mental health and alcohol and drug treatment services programs were frozen for several years, the modest increases for these programs mark an important beginning and support of APA advocacy to improve the lives of persons suffering with mental illness and addictive disorders."

Cutler continued, "Congress's intention that SAMHSA fund the accelerated development of performance indicators to measure the effectiveness of mental health services is certainly a positive reflection of APA's leadership in developing practice guidelines and scientifically validated clinical outcomes."

There was a substantial increase of $40 million in Fiscal 1999 for SAMHSA's Knowledge Development and Application (KDA) program. That funding has been designated specifically to improve school-based mental health services for children who have emotional and behavioral disorders and are at risk for violent behavior.

The goal of the KDA program is to obtain new knowledge about improving prevention and treatment of substance abuse and mental illness and to work with state and local governments, providers, families, and consumers to apply that knowledge effectively in everyday practice.