Committee leaders on Tuesday called on the Government Accountability Office to investigate why funds were not used more quickly to address mental health needs.
The committee's chair, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), and her colleagues are concerned about the nature and pace of use of these funds and SAMHSA's ability to manage and oversee this additional funding. “The committee's chair, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-Wash.), and her colleagues wrote in a letter to the GAO Comptroller. Gen. Gene Dodaro said in a letter shared with The Washington Post. Republicans cited SAMHSA's findings that about 1 in 5 Americans suffered from a mental illness in 2020, as well as SAMHSA's warning that mental health conditions may have worsened during the pandemic.
GAO said its watchdog agency is considering the panel's request.
The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees SAMHSA, said SAMHSA has responded to Congressional questions about mental health funding but has not released responses to Congressional oversight. The agency also said all 988 hotline programs are using the funds for “a variety of ongoing activities” and can draw on additional funds if needed.
Health Department Secretary Xavier Becerra defended the Biden administration's budget request Wednesday in two congressional hearings. The request includes approximately $8.1 billion in annual funding to SAMHSA, which would be approximately $600 million more than the fiscal year 2023 level.
House Republicans have spent years investigating how pandemic emergency funds were spent, and have repeatedly questioned the money that went to small agencies such as SAMHSA. The agency's budget has previously been pegged at about $6 billion per case. But it received an additional $7.8 billion during the pandemic, and lawmakers said the money was needed to address the spike in reported mental health conditions. The agency also received approximately $1 billion in additional funding to launch the 988 Crisis Response Line, which launched in July 2022.
SAMHSA has earmarked most of the funding for the COVID-19 and 988 crisis lines, but states, territories and other eligible parties have yet to spend much of the money, a Republican study found.
For example, as of November 8, 2023, SAMHSA had directed $8.1 billion in coronavirus emergency assistance to states, but only $4.4 billion had been spent. The agency had also committed $328 million to states and territories for hotline activities, but only $58 million was rescinded. Meanwhile, about $35 million was earmarked for hotline efforts throughout the Indians, but only $2.6 million was spent.
The Biden administration has touted efforts to strengthen the 988 crisis line.
“Much of the funding went to states, territories, tribes, and crisis centers to hire crisis counselors and improve response rates,” SAMHSA said in an announcement last year after the first anniversary of the 988 hotline. As stated in the brief.
Concerns over unspent pandemic relief funds dashed the Biden administration's attempts to get additional public health funding last year.
Industry experts and officials say organizations that previously had limited resources could be overwhelmed by the sudden influx of funding for mental health services.
For example, the New York City Mental Health Association reported nearly $30 million in revenue in 2017, with a focus on addressing community behavioral health issues. The organization has since rebranded as Vibrant Emotional Health, and its revenue soared to $125 million in 2022 after the federal government appointed the association to manage the national 988 crisis line. Did. Vibrant did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Experts cautioned that some of SAMHSA's efforts are significant undertakings. Although there have been crisis lines before, Jonathan Pirtle, director of policy research at New York University's Center for Global Implementation Science, who has studied the operation and funding of the 988 hotline, says the creation of 988 is “actually a new system. We are building a
Pirtle said he could not comment on the committee's findings regarding funding for the crisis line because he had not reviewed SAMHSA's documents. But he noted that the hotline faces ongoing funding challenges, particularly as most states still lack permanent funding for the service.
“Our data really supports the implementation of 988 as call demand increases. [it] To be successful,” Pirtle said.
The Republican-led committee spent much of last year in a protracted battle over obtaining information from SAMHSA, at one point threatening to issue subpoenas if SAMHSA did not meet its demands.
If you or someone you know is in trouble or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat with us 988lifeline.org.
