September 22, 2020

Congress is preparing to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) rather than enacting a new federal budget on October 1 (new federal fiscal year).   Continuing Resolutions are sometimes used by Congress as a default maneuver to avoid a government shutdown when it can’t agree on a new budget by the end of the current fiscal year.   The CR would continue federal spending at current budget year levels.  

Congress is expected to pass the CR shortly and make it good through December 11.  House Dems had sought to extend the CR until March 2021 but Senate R’s objected.  It is possible we will see a ‘budget by CR’ process in which Congress passes a series of CRs to extend current year funding without putting a new federal budget in place. It’s too early to tell if/how this will play out.NYS Council members who are part of the original cohort of CCBHCs (the “Demo” agencies) have been eagerly awaiting word regarding an extension of the Demo (and funding of the same) beyond the end of the current federal fiscal year.  The good news is that language that would extend the original CCBHC Demo (and funding) through December 11 is currently included in the CR that is expected to be passed by Congress on or before October 1.

In related news, the National Council is leading an effort in Washington in which they are requesting an exception to the CR process in which spending remains at prior budget year levels into a new fiscal year.  In this case, the National Council and its’ partners are working to convince Congress that it should appropriate an additional $4B in funding to go to SAMHSA for purposes of addressing increased demand for mental health, substance use disorder/addictions and related services that are funded via the SAMHSA Block Grant.   

The NYS Council will actively support this effort alongside our partners in Washington.