FY 2012 Appropriations Update for Graduate Psychology Education Program and Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act

The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Subcommittee recommended level funding for the Graduate Psychology Education Program (GPE) for the Fiscal Year 2012 appropriations cycle. Funded at nearly $3 million, the full Senate Appropriations Committee supported the Subcommittee recommended level. In addition to including funding for the GPE program, the Senate Subcommittee included very strong report language directing the Agency to reinstate the geropsychology component, initiate a focus on veterans and help integrate health service psychology trainees at Federally Qualified Health Centers to provide mental and behavioral health services to underserved populations. This language was adopted at the request of Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) who strongly advocated for GPE funding as well.

In addition, the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee also recommended $2.97 million for the GPE program, the same as the Senate Subcommittee and Full Committee. This makes it more likely that GPE will maintain funding this upcoming fiscal year, a victory in the face of drastic budget cutting and program eliminations. For context, funding for Interdisciplinary Community Linkages was frozen in the Senate Subcommittee mark ($71.5 million) and it was and cut by $37.9 million (recommended for $33.9 million) in the House Subcommittee mark. This is the pot that provides funding for GPE.

This strong position for GPE is due in large part to the over 70 visits made by 30 APA member- advocates who came to Washington, DC in the spring and early summer to meet with key members and staff of the House and Senate Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Subcommittees. Led by Education GRO, this foundational support was bolstered by the over 175 visits by PsycAdvocates™ over the summer during convention and the over 178 visits made by Education Advocacy grassroots leaders, as well as seasoned APA member–advocates and novice Hill visitors during the fall Education Leadership Conference.

Still, with this good news, we remain mindful that the FY 2012 cycle is not yet completed. The Education GRO website will continue to provide updates on the progress of this legislation in general and the funding for GPE specifically.

Thanks in large measure to the work of Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Campus Suicide Prevention Program received nearly $5 million in funds from the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriation subcommittee. In addition, the Campus Suicide prevention program is slated to receive another $10 million from the Prevention and Public Health Fund. These competitive funds, administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, are available to centers on college campuses that provide mental and behavioral health services to students. The program, along with State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention program and Suicide Prevention Resource Center are authorized by the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act.

While the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee has produced a bill, the specific funding levels for the Campus Suicide Prevention program are not yet available. The other programs authorized by the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act received level funding in the Senate bill: $29.738 million for State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative; and $4.96 million for the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.

In related news, Senator Reed (D-RI) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), along with Senators Tom Udall (D-NM) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), introduced a strong reauthorization bill for the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act programs (S.740), championing both the authority and the funding for the programs, especially the Campus Suicide Prevention Program. There are currently 13 cosponsors for that legislation. APA’s Education GRO has an Action Alert posted on our website requesting that APA members call their Senators and ask them to co-sponsor S.740.

Education GRO staff will continue to keep you updated on both the status of appropriations for the Campus Suicide Prevention Program, as well as the progress on S. 740, during the weeks ahead.