NCADD - Action Alert 64 (12/9/99)

CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE

POTENTIAL CUTS IN ALCOHOL AND DRUG TREATMENT AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS (12/9/99)

Donna Shalala, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, will make the final decision as to how programs in her department will be cut, and SAMHSA alcohol and drug treatment and prevention programs reside in her department and are at great risk for cuts.

BACKGROUND
When negotiating the final FY 2000 spending package, which included funding for alcohol and drug treatment and prevention programs, the Administration and Congress agreed to apply a .38% cut to the total budget. The Administration has discretion as to how it applies the cut to programs, and may cut up to 15% of a budget item's total FY 2000 funding.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
Decisions about how to apply the cut are being made now. Therefore, letters urging her not to cut SAMHSA's programs are needed to help persuade her to sustain FY 2000 alcohol and drug treatment and prevention funding. Please send the following (below) letter on your organization's letterhead to the Secretary of Health and Human Services urging her not to cut alcohol and drug treatment and prevention programs when implementing the final .38% cut in FY 2000 spending. Please also send copies of your letter to the "cc:" list (addresses follow the letter) at the bottom of the letter. This letter must go out as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact the Public Policy Office via email at publicpolicy@ncadd.org.

SAMPLE LETTER

December 9, 1999

Donna Shalala, Secretary
Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20002

Dear Secretary Shalala:

We are writing to urge you to ensure that funding for alcohol and drug treatment and prevention programs is not reduced when your agency implements the .38% cut in final FY 2000 spending.

The 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reported a staggering treatment gap -- fewer than 25% of the individuals assessed as drug dependent received treatment in the past year. The largest gap was found among adolescents and young adults fewer than 17% of the individuals ages 12-25 years old who were drug dependent received treatment. A similar unmet treatment need was found among individuals who were alcohol dependent fewer than 20% received treatment. Such large gaps indicate the need for sustaining funding for the Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention Block Grant (SAPT), which provides 40% of the funding for treatment services nationwide, as well as sustained funding for discretionary programs at the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.

The 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reported a 13% reduction in drug use among adolescents ages 12 to 17 years old. This encouraging result indicates that prevention programs are working and that sustained funding for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention's programs and the SAPT Block Grant is necessary to continue this significant trend.

The Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant and discretionary programs at the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment are funded below the President's FY 2000 request, and discretionary programs at the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention have been cut below the FY 1999 funding base. Given that the FY 2000 funding levels of these programs are below the President's requests and/or are inadequate to provide sufficient services for the vast prevention and treatment needs of the nation, we urge you to refrain from taking any funds from these programs as you implement the .38% cut.

Thank you for your leadership on these important public health issues. We look forward to working with your office on the FY 2001 budget and other key issues.

Sincerely,

cc: President William Jefferson Clinton

Vice President Albert Gore, Jr.

General Barry McCaffrey, Director Office of National Drug Control Policy

Mr. Jacob Lew, Director, Office of Management and Budget

Dr. Nelba Chavez, Administrator Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Dr. Westley Clark, Director, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment

Dr. Karol Kumpfer, Director, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention

CC LIST ADDRESSES

President William Jefferson Clinton The White House Washington, DC 20500	Vice President Albert Gore, Jr. Old Executive Office Building Washington, DC 20501
General Barry McCaffrey, Director Office of National Drug Control Policy Executive Office of President Washington, DC 20500	Mr. Jacob Lew, Director Office of Management and Budget Room 252 Old Executive Office Building Washington, DC 20503
Dr. Nelba Chavez, Administrator Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Room 12-105 Parklawn Building 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857	Dr. Westley Clark, Director Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Room 618 Rockwall II 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857
Dr. Karol Kumpfer, Director Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Room 900 Rockwall II 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857