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January 2005 NORA Discusses SAMHSA Reauthorization On Monday, January 10, the National Organizations Responding to AIDS (NORA) coalition, for which AIDS Action serves as the convener, held its monthly meeting. The main topic of discussion this month was reauthorization of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Jonathan Westin, director of government relations for NAADAC was the featured guest speaker. NAADAC is the largest professional membership organization serving counselors who specialize in addiction treatment. SAMSHA is the agency within the federal Department of Health and Human Services whose mission is to build resilience and facilitate recovery for people with or at risk for substance abuse and mental illness. The fate of SAMHSA is significant to the HIV community because many people living with the infection are in need of substance abuse and/or mental health related services—many of which are funded through SAMSHA. SAMHSA’s authorization expired on December 31, 2003. According to Mr. Westin, attempts have been made since then to move forward with the reauthorization process. However, he said that little progress has been made because Congress has not identified SAMHSA reauthorization as a priority. As it stands right now, the agency continues to operate without a reauthorization. (A program that is operating after its authorization has expired operates under the guidelines of the previous authorization.) According to Mr. Westin, although it has been over a year since SAMHSA’s authorization expired, it is unlikely that the agency’s reauthorization will occur in 2005. He explained that thus far no Member of Congress has indicated an interest in taking on the program’s reauthorization. Moreover, progress toward reauthorization could be further delayed by a proposed restructuring of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee for the 109th Congress, which was introduced last week. If this restructuring were implemented, it would eliminate the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Subcommittee, whose chairman, Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH), has been a champion for SAMHSA. SAMSHA would instead fall under the jurisdiction of the new Bioterrorism and Public Health Subcommittee, and the priorities of this subcommittee have yet to be determined. Despite the lack of Congressional action on SAMHSA reauthorization, there has been a great deal of discussion within the substance abuse and mental health communities regarding priorities for reauthorization. Mr. Westin shared with NORA that his organization has identified three major priorities for reauthorization.
Mr. Westin concluded his presentation by asking NORA to support SAMSHA reauthorization. Noting that many of SAMHSA’s clients are living with, or at risk for, HIV, he expressed his hope that advocates for sound HIV, substance abuse, and mental health policy can work to form closer connections while continuing to work on areas of common concern. *According to NAADAC, the Access to Recovery initiative (ATR) is a program designed to increase the capacity of faith-based organizations to provide substance abuse treatment services, while allowing for increased consumer choice in service providers. ATR provides vouchers that allow patients in need of such services to access treatment via a faith-based provider. For more about NAADAC’s position on ATR link to http://naadac.org/documents/display.php?DocumentID=100 For more information about NORA, e-mail Jessica Tytel at jtytel@aidsaction.org. |
