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FY 2009 FEDERAL FUNDING ALERT

Please Contact Your U.S. Senators and Representatives Today and Ask Them to Increase Funding for Drug and Alcohol Prevention, Treatment, Recovery And Research Programs

Message:

Investing in programs that prevent and treat alcohol and drug addiction saves lives and improves the health, safety and well-being of our communities; please increase funding for alcohol and drug programs in the House and Senate Labor HHS spending bills by supporting the field-recommended funding levels listed below.

Action: 

Please call, fax or email your U.S. Senators and Representatives and ask them to support the field funding requests for the alcohol and drug programs listed below.  A sample model letter is copied below; please feel free to insert information specific to your area.  Find your Members of Congress by visiting www.congress.org or by calling the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.  

Background:

As the House and Senate work to finalize the budget blueprint, the Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate are starting work on the FY 2009 spending bills.  Members will be making decisions about funding priorities over the next few weeks.  The FY 2009 budget called for significant cuts to the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities State Grants Program and the Centers for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.  Critical programs will not receive increased funding without your support.  Below are the field funding requests for drug and alcohol prevention, treatment, education and research programs:

If you have any questions, please feel free to call Gabrielle de la Gueronniere or Nisha Thakker at Legal Action Center, (202) 544-5478.  Thanks for your help!

DATE

When addressing your Senators or Representative, use one of the formats indicated below:

The Honorable (Full Name)                                           The Honorable (Full Name)                  

The United States Senate                                               The United States House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. 20510                                                Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Senator____________:                                        Dear Representative______________:

Thank you for your continued support for alcohol and drug treatment, prevention, education and research programs.   I am writing to ask your support for the funding levels listed below, which would provide increased funding for these critical programs through the FY 2009 appropriations process.

Prevention pays off and is a critical part of the continuum of care.   The National Institute on Drug Abuse’s 2006 Monitoring the Future Survey found that youth drug use continues to decline for many drugs, but that there are signs of increased use of many prescription drugs.  We must continue to invest in the best treatment and prevention options and provide services that are evidence-based.  Adequate drug and alcohol prevention services, including those provided by the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities State Grants program, need to be available for all young people to reduce their risks of poor health, diminished academic performance, and involvement in the juvenile justice system. 

The unmet need for alcohol and drug treatment services in America is overwhelming.  According to SAMHSA, in 2006 23.6 million Americans, or 9.6 percent of the population aged 12 or older, needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem. Of these, just 2.5 million individuals received treatment at a specialty facility, leaving 21.2 million persons in need of these life-saving services. Over 40 percent of those who tried to get help for their addiction were denied treatment because of cost or insurance barriers.  Such barriers mean that for many people, federal- and State-funded programs are the only means available to obtain treatment and prevention services.  In many States, public spending accounts for more than 60 percent of the annual support for treatment and prevention services.  The shortage of addiction treatment services results in waiting lists in many places, sometimes as long as six months.

Addiction treatment and prevention services are successful in cutting alcohol and drug use by nearly half, reducing crime by 80 percent, and deterring many youth from beginning to use alcohol and drugs in the first place.  According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, for every dollar ($1) the United States Government spends on addiction treatment it saves $7 to $25 in other costs. Moreover, each $1 invested in alcohol and drug prevention saves $5.60. 

            The funding levels for which I am requesting your support include:

·         $1.8587 billion for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant, the foundation of the publicly supported prevention and treatment system in this country.

·         $420 million for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)

·         $215 million for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP)

·         $346.5 million for the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities State Grants program

·         $465.5 million for research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

·         $1.0678 billion for research at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Your support of this entire continuum of programs is essential because all fronts of the battle against alcohol and drug addiction must be sufficiently funded to be successful.  Investment in alcohol and drug treatment, prevention, education, and research will save lives and resources nationwide, and it will help America protect its health in challenging times.  Thank you for your support of these essential programs.       

            Sincerely,