Policy Issues & Resources: Federal Budget

Federal spending for FY 2009 totaled over $3 trillion.  Three entitlement programs in the U.S. - Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid - accounted for a combined 41% of spending.  In addition, funding streams, such as the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant, the Mental Health Block Grant, Grants to States for Homelessness (PATH), and others, are funded through the federal budget.

Recent News  I  Official Comments  I  Official Letters  I  Fact Sheets  I  Summaries & Charts  I Additional Resources  I

Recent News

• Obama Administration to Release Report on Effects of Sequestration
• The Paul Ryan Budget Plan: What Does it Really Mean for Healthcare and Safety Net Programs?
• Congress Grapples with Sequestration “Fix”; Urge Your Legislators to Preserve Health Spending

Official Comments

• National Council President and CEO Linda Rosenberg's testimony to the Labor, Health, and Education Subcommittee re.FY 2010 appropriations for SAMHSA, submitted March 18, 2009

• Testimony in Support of Increased Mental Illness and Addictions Funding in FY 2009 Budget

Official Letters

• The National Council signed on to a letter to the Gang of Six urging the Senators to protect Medicaid in the 2012 budget
• The National council signed onto a letter urging national Fiscal Commission to protect discretionary health spending
• The National Council signed onto a letter requesting that funding for the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities State Grants program be restored.
• The National Council signed onto a letter supporting the elimination of the ban on federal funding for syringe exchange programs.
• The National Council signed onto a Letter of Support to lift the ban on funding syringe exchange programs by the national government.

Fact Sheets

• National Council analysis: Deficit Reduction and Behavioral Health: What You Need to Know Now (Sept. 2011)
• Proposed 2012 Budget Plan Would Slash Medicaid, Put Beneficiaries at Risk
• FY 2011 Federal Budget: Frequently Asked Questions
• Increasing funding for the Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment Block Grant and the Mental Health Block Grant
• Including community mental health & addiction services providers in federal HIT funding initiatives
• Federal Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Prevention, Treatment and Research Funding FY 2008 - 2010 
• Support increased funding for primary care and behavioral health integration
• Health Information Technology Provisions in the ARRA
• Medicaid Provisions in the ARRA
• Other Key Provisions in the ARRA
• Protect Funding for Addictions Prevention, Treatment, and Research 2008

Summaries & Charts

• Revised FY11 Budget Chart
• FY10 Budget Chart
• FY09 Budget Chart for Obama's Administration
• FY09 Budget chart
• Federal Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Prevention, Treatment and Research Funding, FY 2007–2008
• Comparison of FY 2008 spending bills — commerce and justice; transportation and HUD; labor, HHS, education, and related agencies

Additional Resources

• Q&A from live webchat on the federal budget with Chuck Ingoglia at MentalHealthcareReform.org
• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: report analyzing the effect of a proposal to cut discretionary spending to 2008 levels
• Break-Down of Federal Budget Allocations in FY 2008
• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009-Grant Application Information and Tips
• Budget — President's FY 2008 budget proposes cuts to mental health and addictions treatment
• Budget — summary of President's 2008 budget (from Avalare Health)