Director's Report

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA)
Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS)
National Advisory Council
Rockville, Maryland
September 4 & 5, 2003

SAMHSA Budget

Both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate have provided markups (committee session at which a bill is put into final form before it is reported out) to the fiscal year (FY) 2004 budget proposal. The proposed SAMHSA budget for FY 2004 is $3.4 billion, a nearly $256 million increase over the FY 2003 budget. This FY 2004 budget does, however, reflect a nearly $33 million decrease in funding for mental health Programs of Regional and National Significance and a funding decrease of more than $4 million for the Mental Health Block Grant Program from the FY 2003 budget.

The Senate Committee recommended $855,711,000 in total funding for mental health services. This amount reflects an overall increase of $21,705,000 over the President's FY 2004 budget request of $834,006,000, but a net decrease of $776,000 from the FY 2003 budget that was enacted. The Committee's recommendation includes the transfer of $21,850,000 from the Health and Human Services Evaluation Tap Funding to the Mental Health Block Grant Program. The Senate Committee recommendation includes increases in funding for the following programs and services: $25,910,000 for Programs of Regional and National Significance, $4,140,000 for Mental Health Block Grants to the States, and $3,279,000 for Protection and Advocacy Services. The Committee also recommended a funding decrease of $8,642,000 for Children's Mental Health Services and a decrease of $2,982,000 for the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) program, which provides grants to States for community-based services for homeless individuals with mental illnesses.

The House Committee recommended $863,925,000 in total funding for mental health services, which reflects an overall increase of $29,919,000 over the President's FY 2004 budget. The House Committee recommendation includes increases in funding for the following programs and services: $25,243,000 for Programs of Regional and National Significance, $2,000,000 for Mental Health Block Grants to the States, $1,306,000 for Children's Mental Health Services, and $1,370,000 for Protection and Advocacy Services.