House Republicans are asking a government watchdog to examine how the federal government has handled money for mental health that has not been spent, including funds for COVID-19 emergencies and money for starting the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office, expressing that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) received around $8 billion in additional COVID-19 funding, but only about half has been used by grantees.
Furthermore, grantees utilized only about $350 million out of nearly $1 billion in new funds allocated for launching the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in 2022.
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Similar to other agencies, SAMHSA received a large amount of emergency funds to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Its annual budget authority for fiscal year 2021 was $5.8 billion, and it also received over $7.8 billion in extra funds through COVID-19 supplemental funding.
Republicans mentioned a SAMHSA report stating that in 2020, 53 million adults in the United States had a mental illness, with around 14 million adults having a severe mental illness. The agency also cautioned that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic heightened concerns about mental health.
The COVID funding and money for implementing the 9-8-8 hotline was primarily distributed through grants to states and other recipients.
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Chairwoman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, has requested the GAO to investigate why the funds were taking a long time to be utilized, as well as the agency’s supervision of the funding.
“We are worried about the way and speed at which these funds are being used, as well as SAMHSA’s capability to manage and supervise this additional funding,” wrote Rodgers and other committee leaders.
