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| NACHSA Members: House Subcommittee Acts on HHS Funding: Earlier this week, the House Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee adopted its version of a FY 2007 spending bill for federal human services programs. The Subcommittee rejected the administration's proposal to cut the Social Services Block Grant by 30% and recommended instead to fund it at the current level of $1.7 billion. The Subcommittee did vote, however, to cut the Community Services Block Grant by $200 million to a level of $430 million in FY 2007. The administration had proposed to eliminate it. Workforce Investment Act programs are cut slightly, with adult training reduced by $10 million to a proposed FY 2007 level of $854 million and youth training trimmed by $5 million to $935 million. Nearly all other human services programs would be frozen at current levels, essentially a cut given inflation, but better than what could have been. The House is the biggest hurdle for HHS programs. The full appropriations committee may mark up the bill next week, but no cuts from the Subcommittee mark are anticipated. Senate action is not expected until late this summer or early fall. Their bill is expected to be slightly more generous than the House approach. Here is a link to the House press release: Here is a link to the chart outlining funding levels for all the major Labor/HHS and Education programs: http://appropriations.house.gov/_files/LH_Detail_SCWEB.pdf Senate Committee Reauthorizes Child Welfare Program: Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee approved a bill reauthorizing the Promoting Safe and Stable Families program (PSSF). The bill would earmark the $40 million in new funds authorized in the Deficit Reduction Act for family treatment programs for meth. There would be $345 million in total mandatory funding for the program. The bill will now go to the floor. Here is a link to the markup document: http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/leg/060806legmeth.pdf The House measure has not been introduced. Similar to the Senate, it is expected to be a bipartisan effort. Their bill, however, will likely earmark the new funds for increasing child welfare caseworker visits. Meth and Child Welfare Report Released: Yesterday, Generations United released a report entitled "Meth and Child Welfare: Promising Solutions for Children, Their Parents and Grandparents" The report can be accessed at: http://ipath.gu.org/documents/A0/Meth_Child_Welfare_Final_cover.pdf
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