As reported by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare in its PUBLIC POLICY UPDATE, dated June 14,2007, "This week, the House continued work on the FY 2008 spending bills, continuing work on the Labor, Health and Human Services [HHS], Education, and Related Agencies bill and beginning work on the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies bill. The Senate began its appropriations work this week, marking up the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs [VA] bill.

On June 7, the House Labor, Health and Human Services [HHS], Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee marked up and unanimously approved by voice vote its FY 2008 spending bill. The draft bill, which has a $151.1 billion discretionary spending allocation, $6.6 billion more than in FY 2007 and $10.2 billion more than was requested by President Bush, increases or maintains funding for a variety of key mental health and addictions treatment programs.

The bill funds HHS at $68.2 billion, $4.1 billion more than FY 2007 and $5 billion more than the President’s budget request. While most programs are funded at FY 2007 levels, there are several notable increases among mental health and addiction treatment programs:

Funding for the Center for Mental Health Services [CMHS] is set at $905.7 million, nearly $100 million more than the President’s request.

CMHS Programs of Regional and National Significance [PRNS] would receive a $9 million increase over FY 2007 levels, to$272.3 million.

CMHS’s Block Grant would receive $441.5 million, $13 million more than last year

Funding for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment [CSAT] is set at $399.3 million,. a$328,000 increase over FY 2007 funding levels and $47.2 million more than the President’s budget request.

Funding for the Center of Substance Abuse Prevention [CSAP] is set at $192.9 million, $36.4 million over the President’s budget request and equal with FY 2007 funding.

The Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block would receive $1.794 billion, $35 million more than FY 2007 levels and the President’s FY 2008 budget request.

The Safe and Drug -Free Schools State Grants program would receive $300 million, $46.5 million less than FY 2007, and $200 million more than the President’s budget request.

Funding for the National Institutes of Health [NIH] is set at $29.6 billion, $750 more than FY 2007 levels and $1 billion more than the President’s request. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [NIAAA] would receive $442.9 million,$6.6 million more than in FY 2007; the National Institute on Drug Abuse [NIDA] would receive $1.016 billion, $16 million more than in FY 2007; and the National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH] would receive $1.426 billion, $23 million more than in FY 2007.

The full House Appropriations Committee is Scheduled to consider the Labor-HHS bill this morning [June 14]. In the Senate, the Senate Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee is set to consider the bill on June 19."

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