The Senate called for a $30 billion health budget proposal that would call for deep cuts to mental health and substance abuse programs for adult Americans.
As The News-Press reports, the Senate proposal would cut $63.3 million from adult mental-health programs and $23.2 million from adult substance-abuse programs. Senate Health and Human Services Appropriation Chairman Joe Negron justified the cuts by saying these programs are not as high-priority in terms of funding as issues such as nursing-home care for Medicaid beneficiaries.
But others are critical of the move and believe that cutting the programs would increase demands in prisons and have an impact on children who are living with parents with substance abuse or mental health problems.
A proposal by the House would not make these cuts.
Heather Rudow is a staff writer for Counseling Today. Email her at hrudow@counseling.org.
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