Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Continues to Expand Mental and Behavioral Health Services on College Campuses

APA Education Policy Office: May 12, 2006

Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Continues to Expand Mental and Behavioral Health Services on College Campuses

On March 31, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced that $2.3 million would be made available for new grants to support suicide prevention activities on college campuses around the country.

The Campus Suicide Prevention grant program was authorized as part of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act in October 2004. The American Psychological Association was instrumental in developing the idea for this new federal grant program, which is designed to strengthen and enhance mental and behavioral health services on college campuses. In its inaugural year, 2005, SAMHSA was able to support 22 institutions for the first year of a three year grant as part of this campus suicide prevention program. Each of these 22 grantees will receive continued funding in FY’06. For a complete list of all grantees, please visit: http://www.apa.org/ppo/education/samsha905.html.

Recent Actions
Education-PPO is working to maintain the maximum authorized funding level for the Campus Suicide Prevention programs. Funded through the Labor, Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations bill, Education and PI PPO offices have activated APA’s grassroots network (PPAN/Divisions/Committees) to encourage members of the U.S. House of Representatives to sign on to a letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs asking for full funding for all programs authorized under the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, including the Campus Suicide Prevention program.

GARRETT LEE SMITH MEMORIAL ACT – FUNDING HISTORY

PROGRAM	FY’05 Funded	FY’06 Funded	FY’07 Authorized
Mental and Behavioral Health Services on Campus	$1.5 million	$5 million	$5 million
Youth Suicide Early Intervention and Prevention Strategies	$6.9 million	$18 million	$30 million
Technical Assistance Center	$1.5 million	$4 million	$5 million