Transcript AUCD Advocacy Update Cornerstone Government Affairs Amy Souders

AUCD Advocacy
Update
Cornerstone Government Affairs
Amy Souders
Lauren Ackil
November 12, 2007
Appropriations Update
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FY 2008 began Oct. 1, 2007.
None of the appropriations bills have been enacted, and the
government is operating on a continuing resolution through
Dec. 14, 2007.
Congress passed the final FY 2008 Labor HHS Education
appropriations conference report last week.
The House bill passed 274 – 141.
The Senate bill passed 57 – 36.
The President is expected to veto the bill, and an override will
be attempted. It is not likely that the override will be
successful.
UCEDDs Funding History
Fiscal Year
Funding Level
% Increase
2003
$24,962,000
n/a
2004
$26,803,000
7%
2005
$31,549,000
15%
2006
$33,213,000
5%
2007
$33,212,000
0%
2008
$37,613,000
13%
Over 5 years, this is more than a 50% increase for the UCEDDs.
H.R. 3043
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Developmental disabilities
The Committee recommends $33,213,000 for the
university centers for excellence in developmental
disabilities. This is $1,000 more than the fiscal year 2007
level and the same as the budget request. This funding
provides discretionary grants to public or not-for-profit
entities associated with universities. The grants provide
basic operational and administrative core support for
these agencies. In addition, these funds support
interdisciplinary training, community services, research
and technical assistance, and information dissemination.
S. 1710
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Developmental Disabilities
The Committee recommends $38,713,000 for the University Centers
for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities [UCEDDs], a network of
67 centers that are interdisciplinary education, research and public
service units of a university system or are public or nonprofit entities
associated with universities. The Centers serve as the major vehicle
to translate disability-related research into community practice and
to train the next cohort of future professionals who will provide
services and supports to an increasingly diverse population of
people with disabilities. The Committee recommendation provides
an increase of $5,501,000 above the comparable fiscal year 2007
level, which will fund the existing centers at their authorized level,
allow them to receive a modest cost of living adjustment and
support additional training for critical and emerging national needs,
such as autism spectrum disorder.
Conference Report
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Developmental Disabilities
For University Centers for Excellence,
the conference agreement includes
$37,613,000, instead of $33,213,000 as
proposed by the House and $38,713,000
as proposed by the Senate.
LENDs Funding History
Fiscal Year
Total funding
# Lends
Ave. award
2002
$18,748,097
35
$535,000
2003
18,831,420
35
538,000
2004
18,639,095
36
517,000
2005
18,767,233
35
536,000
2006
18,667,644
35
533,000
2007
18,667,644
35
533,000
2008
24,667,644
35+
This is a 32% increase for the LENDs.
TBD
H.R. 3043
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Autism.--The Committee provides $30,000,000
for activities authorized in the Combating Autism
Act, including the promotion of screening tools
and the expansion of Leadership Education in
Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities
(LEND) training sites to diagnose autism
spectrum disorders and related disabilities. The
Committee believes it is critical to strengthen
HRSA's activities targeting autism spectrum
disorders to respond to this emerging national
epidemic.
S. 1710
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Autism and Other Developmental Disorders
The Committee provides $37,000,000 for the autism and other
developmental disorders initiative. The fiscal year 2007 comparable
level was $20,000,000 and the budget request for fiscal year 2008
was $20,000,000. The program supports surveillance, early
detection, education and intervention activities on autism and other
developmental disorders, as authorized in the Combating Autism Act
of 2006.
The Committee has included sufficient funding to continue and
expand the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and
Related Disabilities [LEND] program, previously funded in the MCHB
SPRANS account. These University-based programs provide longterm, graduate level interdisciplinary training as well as services and
care for infants, children, and adolescents with disabilities.
Conference Report
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HRSA
The conference agreement provides $37,000,000 for a separate
program for autism and other related developmental disorders, as
proposed by the Senate. The House proposed $30,000,000 within
the Maternal and Child Health block grant SPRANS set-aside for
these activities. The conferees intend that no less than $6,000,000
be used to continue and expand the Leadership Education in
Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities program. In addition,
no less than $6,000,000 is provided for research on evidence-based
practices for interventions for individuals with autism and other
developmental disabilities, for development of guidelines for those
interventions, and for information dissemination.
What does the Future Hold?
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Vote on the veto override of the Labor-H
appropriations bill could happen as early as next
week.
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Contact Members of the House of Representatives
and ask that vote yes on the Labor-H appropriations
bill veto override.
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If veto override vote is not successful, the bill will go
back to Committee to be renegotiated at a lower
spending level than the current bill. Most programs in
the bill will be cut. The President’s budget is $9.8 11
Veto Override AUCD Message
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Talk about the work that you do at your Center or program,
its impact on individuals, your state, and the country. Please
educate your Members about the impact of cuts you may
have received as well as how important any increases are to
accomplish your work and our goal of improving the lives of
people with disabilities and families.
If the veto is sustained, our programs will likely lose the
entire increase that is in the conference report.
The Capitol Switchboard number is 202-224-3121. Ask to
be connected to your Senators and Representatives.
Plans for 2008 Hill Visits
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AUCD Hill Day – March 2nd through March 4th