Proposed White House Budget Would Severely Harm Nation’s Mental Health Care System and Patients

May 25, 2017

ARLINGTON, Va. May 25, 2017 – The proposed White House budget released earlier this week calls for draconian cuts to the nation’s health care system, decreases access to mental health and substance use care and puts patients at risk. The APA calls on Congress to reject the proposed budget in favor of a bipartisan solution that ensures Americans get the health care they deserve.

The proposed budget includes:

• A nearly $6 billion cut to the National Institutes of Health Budget, which jeopardizes medical research.
• More than $252 million in cuts to The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Programs potentially affected include the Community Mental Health Services Blog Grant, the Primary and Behavioral Healthcare Integration program and the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training program.
• Roughly $627 billion in cuts to Medicaid over 10 years.
• A cut of $1.2 billion from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cuts that target programs on HIV/AIDS and chronic disease prevention, among others.
• A cut of nearly a billion to The Food and Drug Administration.

“The proposed budget cuts will roll back much of the recent advances the nation has made in terms of health care,” said APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A. “We need more funding for medical research and prevention programs, not less. We call upon members of both parties to work together to fund these vital programs and initiatives.”

The American Psychiatric Association is the oldest medical association in the country founded in 1844. The APA is also the largest psychiatric association in the world with more than 37,000 physician members specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and research of mental illnesses. APA’s vision is to ensure access to quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment.

Let's block ads! (Why?)