The necessity of making funding of vocational education a priority becomes readily apparent when you know the statistics. In America's Choice: high skills or low wages!, the Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce reports that "more than 70 percent of the jobs in America will not require a college degree by the year 2000. These jobs are the backbone of our economy, and the productivity of workers in these jobs will make or break our economic future." Vocational-technical education prepares students for 26 of the 37 occupations that the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts will account for the largest number of new jobs by 1995. Unless adequate resources are dedicated to this segment of the student population, we will have made no progress toward making America competitive again. If Congress does not make the investment now, the future costs to our nation in lost wages and reduced standard of living will most certainly increase. While level funding vocational education as a whole, the Administration's budget proposal would totally eliminate funding for Consumer and Homemaking Education. Though the Administration claims that Consumer and Homemaking Education may be funded out of the Basic State Grant, the intent of Congress is clear that this program be funded as a separate line item. After extensive review during the reauthorization process, Congress continued Consumer and Homemaking Education as a specific categorical program and expanded its functions. Consumer and Homemaking Education supports and strengthens the American family and economy by addressing problems such as teenage pregnancy, child abuse, family violence, consumer education, child nutrition, and balancing work and family life. These problems have reached crisis proportions across the nation and continued Federal leadership is essential to maintain this well-established and successful program. SUMMARY To The newly reauthorized Perkins Act recognizes the growing role of vocationaltechnical education in teaching students the basic occupational and academic skills they need to enter an increasingly competitive labor market. accomplish the goals set forth in the new law, Congress significantly increased the 1991 authorization level to $1.6 billion. However, only $1.01 billion (or 63% of the authorized amount) was appropriated for vocational education for FY 1991. Congress has the ability to demonstrate decisive leadership in facilitating the achievement of the national education goals. Without a solid commitment in the form of Federal funding for vocational-technical education, many of the education goals will be unachievable. While other nation's place a premium on well-trained workers, lack of Federal funding for vocationaltechnical education is short-sighted and will clearly prevent the American workforce from competing in an increasingly international economy. The American Vocational Association therefore believes that a request of $1.6 billion to fund the Perkins Act for FY 1992 is not only reasonable in light of last year's funding level, but is necessary in order to fulfill the mandates of the new law and to reverse the decline in U.S. productivity and competitiveness internationally. STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION The following statement is submitted by the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) and concerns Fiscal Year 1992 appropriations for mental heaith programs. NMHA is the nation's only citizens' voluntary advocacy organization concerned with all aspects of mental health and mental allness With over 500 affiliates across the country, NMHA works to meet this challenge through education, research, services and advocacy on the local, state, and national level. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, almost one third of American adults will suffer from a diagnosable mental or addictive disorder at some time in their lives. According to the Institute of Medicine, at least 12 percent of American children (nearly 8 million) are currently in need of mental health services. The Administration's FY 1992 budget provides for only minimal increases for most mental health programs and proposes the elimination of several programs that are critically needed and proven to be effective NMHA's recommendations for FY 1992 funding of programs related to the needs of persons with mental illness are detailed in the chart below. Of special concern are the following programs Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration • Research by the National Institute of Mental Health: Funding is needed in IY 1992 to conduct the next phase of the National Plan for Research on Child and Adolescent Mental Disorders and to implement other NIMI initiatives in mental health research. ■ The Protection and Advocacy System for Persons with Mental Illness: This programa continues to meet the critical need for advocacy services for a neglected population. In many states, however, it can only serve a small proportion of individuals with mental illness who reside in state facilities This program must experience major growth to ensure the provision of quality advocacy services to the large number of individuals with mental illnesses who live in institutions and cannot be scrved under current funding levels. The President proposes the elimination of funding, maintaining that states will assume responsibility for continuation of the program. This is unlikely in that PAMIs are often called upon to investigate, and attempt to correct, instances of abuse and neglect by staff in state-operated mental health institutions. • Prevention Services Demonstrations: Established to test the results of prevention research studies, these model programs offer preventative services to individuals who are seriously mentally ill (re suicide prevention) or at risk of developing a mental illness, including displaced workers, young children, adolescents, and children who are adopted or abused Funds are presently used to support six demonstration programs focusing on the prevention of youth suicide and chronic conduct disorders. The President's proposed four percent increase is insufficient and will not allow for the continuation of existing programs at their budgeted level nor the funding of initiatives targeted toward individuals “at risk” The Community Support Program (CSP) and the Child and Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP): The President's budget recommends a four percent increase, which will not allow for any additional state service system improvement grants or research demonstration grants through CSP and will permit only continuation of current grants through CASSP. The funding level recommended by NMHA is necessary in order to accomplish FY 1992 goals, including the development of service demonstrations for the elderly, through CSP, and implementation of the highly effective model systems of care established by the initial CASSP grants. ■ Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH): Authorized at $75 million per year through FY 1994, these grants to States allow for the provision of mental health, alcohol or drug treatment and housing services to people who are homeless and suffering from serious mental illness or a combination of mental illness and substance abuse. The Administration's request for $43 million in FY 1992 is inadequate to meet the extensive needs of this population. Currently, States are able to serve no more than twenty percent of the homeless population who are mentally ill and have indicated their ability and willingness to match federal grants at significantly higher levels. Department of Education ■ Special Education for Children who are Seriously Emotionally Disturbed (through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act): Children and youth with severe emotional disorders are among the most underserved children in special education. The amount authorized for FY 1992 ($8 million) is necessary to allow for continued implementation of this program, designed to provide a range of educational interventions. LIST OF WITNESSES, COMMUNICATIONS, AND PREPARED STATEMENTS Page Abboud, Dr. Francois, director, Cardiovascular Research Center, University of lowa College of Medicine, on behalf of American Heart Association...... Prepared statement Abercrombie, Hon. Neil, US. Representative from Hawaii Akaka, Hon. Daniel K., U.S. Senator from Hawaii, prepared statement Alberts, Dr. Bruce M., University of California, School of Medicine, San 230 232 567 501 709 Prepared statement 711 Albright, Nathan W., National Labor Relations Board Union .... 817 1010 1042 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, prepared statement American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, prepared statement 842 American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, prepared statement American Federation for Clinical Research, prepared statement 970 American Psychological Association, Division of Rehabilitation Psychology, prepared statement American Vocational Association, prepared statements.. 1053 532 Prepared statements. 543, 557 Armstrong, Martha, Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to 608 Asbury, Dr. Arthur K., University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, on behalf of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges.... 190 Prepared statement 192 Ashley, Frank B., Ph.D., project administrator, National Youth Sports Program Project, Texas A&M University 334 Prepared statement 335 Associated General Contractors of America, prepared statement 846 879 979 877 Page Association of University Programs in Health Administration, prepared state- 966 972 Atlantic Emergency Medical Services Council, prepared statement 1005 ................... Ball, John E.D., president, National Captioning Institute, prepared statement 451 Barnes, Ambassador Harry G., executive director, Critical Languages and 12 .................................................................................... Prepared statement 13 Bartels, Elmer C., Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation 129 Prepared statement 133 Bell, Norman H., former president, American Society for Bone and Mineral 480 Prepared statement 482 Bentsen, Hon. Lloyd, U.S. Senator from Texas 6 Berman, Brian, on behalf of National Gaucher Foundation 429 Prepared statement 431 Bess, Lily, vice president, National Captioning Institute Prepared statement Bickers, David, professor and chairman of dermatology, Case Western Re- Billings, Dr. Ruth E., University of Nevada School of Medicine, on behalf Prepared statement 261 Blair, Stephen J., president, National Association of Trade and Technical Borallis, Loretta, administrator, Ke Ola Pono No Na Kupuna Project, Alu 564 Bothe, Albert, Jr., chairman, public policy committee, American Society for 644 Prepared statement 646 Boyle, Marcia, president, Immune Deficiency Foundation 465 Brabham, Robert E., M.D., executive director, National Rehabilitation Association 350 Prepared statement 352 Breckenmaker, Lynn Cooper, National Family Planning and Reproductive 99 Prepared statement 102 Bridgen, Dr. Pamela J., executive director, Association of Biotechnology Companies Bross, Daniel T., executive director, AIDS Action Council Browstein, Alan, executive director of the National Hemophilia Foundation 58 59 995 Butler, Barbara, chairperson, Coalition of Patient Advocates for Skin Disease 491 Prepared statement 492 Byron, Father William, president, Catholic University, on behalf of American 408 Prepared statement 409 Canaan, Patrick, governmental liaison, U.S. Catholic Conference |