SAMHSA Allocates $1.5 million for Campus Mental and
Behavioral Health Initiative in FY'05 – President Requests
Funding to Continue Program in FY'06

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) has allocated $1.5 million from its FY 2005 discretionary budget to fund the Campus provisions of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which became law in October 2004. In addition, the President's budget for 2006 Fiscal Year also includes $1.5 million for this newly established Mental and Behavioral Health Services on Campus program, which will continue to be administered by SAMHSA.

The program will provide competitive grants to institutions of higher education through: college counseling centers; college and university psychological service centers; mental health centers; psychology training clinics or institution of higher education supported, evidence-based, mental health and substance abuse programs. Funding may be used for:

• Educational seminars;
• Operation of hotlines;
• Preparation for informational materials;
• Preparation of educational materials for families of students to increase awareness of potential mental and behavioral health issues of students enrolled at the institution of higher education;
• Training programs for students and campus personnel to respond effectively to students with mental and behavioral health problems that can lead to school failure, such as depression, substance abuse and suicide attempts; or
• T he creation of networking infrastructure to link colleges and universities that do not have mental health services with health care providers who can treat mental and behavioral health problems.

In addition, a small amount of funding from the Youth Suicide Early Intervention and Prevention Strategies program ($7 million in FY'05) will be available for direct services to institutions of higher education to coordinate the implementation of State-sponsored statewide or tribal youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies.

It was APA who first proposed and promoted the idea of creating a competitive grant program to institutions of higher education to address the mental and behavioral health needs of college students. The initiative was introduced in both the House and Senate in the 108 th Congress as the Campus Care and Counseling Act (HR 3593/S 2215). Elements of the Campus Care and Counseling Act are included in the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which was named after Senator Gordon Smith's (R-OR) son who committed suicide.

Special thanks must go to Senator Gordon Smith and his staff, along with other outstanding legislators who stood tall as initial sponsors of the Campus Care and Counseling Act and who weighed in to secure funding for FY'05. They included Representatives Danny K. Davis and Tom Osborne, and Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Chris Dodd (D-CT).

Next Steps? Education PPO will work closely with administrators in SAMHSA to ensure successful implementation of this new program and will keep you updated on dates of importance relating to the grant competition.

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