A group of lawmakers is asking the Government Accountability Office to examine unspent mental health funds, The Washington Post reported March 20.
Republican leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee raised concerns that $3.8 billion in funding intended for the COVID-19 pandemic and the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline has remained unspent, according to documents from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
"We have concerns about the nature and pace of using these funds, as well as SAMHSA’s ability to administer and oversee this additional funding," the lawmakers wrote in a letter to the Government Accountability Office.
The lawmakers asked the government watchdog to investigate to what extent the funding has been spent by states and grantees, and how SAMHSA conducts oversight of the funding.
HHS, which oversees SAMHSA, told the Post it had complied with congressional inquiries about its use of emergency funding. Funding for the 988 program is used for a range of ongoing activities, and the program can draw down more funding as necessary, the agency said.