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Dear USET/USET SPF Family,
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced that it will hold the next meeting of the SAMHSA Tribal Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) on August 29, 2023 from 1:00 - 4:00 pm EDT. Starting at 4:00 pm EDT immediately following the TTAC meeting, SAMHSA will host a virtual Tribal consultation on the "Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Resources Program for Native Americans Program." Interested participants must register for the TTAC meeting and the consultation separately. Interested participants may register for the TTAC meeting here, and for the consultation here.
In the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, Congress authorized a Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Resources Program for Native Americans Program, which authorizes SAMHSA to fund services for the prevention, treatment, and recovery from mental and substance use disorders among Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiians. However, while Congress authorized the program at $80 million, it did not appropriate funds for the program, leaving SAMHSA so far unable to implement the program.
USET SPF has consistently advocated for this program to be funded to its full authorized level. In November 2022, USET SPF signed onto a joint letter to Congressional appropriators urging them to include the program in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget at a level of $125 million annually. After Congress failed to include funding for the program in FY 2023 appropriations, USET SPF joined other Tribal organizations in a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging the Administration to include funding for the program in the President's FY 2024 Budget Request. USET SPF will continue to advocate for program funding as the FY 2024 appropriations process progresses.
For more information, please contact Ashton Martin, USET SPF Health Policy Analyst, at amartin@usetinc.org or by phone at 629-736-1433.
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