GCSA-Washington Roundup

Senate Confirms Mary Ann Solberg, Drug and Alcohol Prevention Expert, as Deputy Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy;Barry Crane also Confirmed as Deputy Director for Supply Reduction

This week, the Senate voted to confirm Mary Ann Solberg as the Deputy Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the second-highest position in the agency. Ms. Solberg, an expert in community-based drug and alcohol prevention issues, has worked for many years to improve prevention services in her own community and nationally. Her nomination received extensive support from both prevention and treatment field organizations nationally that enthusiastically supported having an expert in community-based prevention issues in a leadership position at the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Prior to joining ONDCP, Mary Ann Solberg served in Michigan as the Executive Director of both the Troy Community Coalition for the Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse and the Coalition of Healthy Communities. She also served as an advisor to the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America. Ms. Solberg has provided consulting assistance to numerous community partnerships and coalitions across the United States, helping these organizations plan effective prevention services.

This week, the Senate also confirmed Barry Crane as the Deputy Director for Supply Reduction at ONDCP. Before joining ONDCP as Director for Supply Reduction, Barry Crane evaluated the effectiveness of interdiction operations against the cocaine business and the technical performance of other interdiction systems for the Institute for Defense Analysis. Mr. Crane is a graduate of the Air Force Academy, received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Arizona, and retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1991 as a Colonel.

Senate Finance Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy Holds
TANF Reauthorization Hearing on Helping Hard-to-Employ Individuals: Alcohol and Drug Problems Identified as a Common Barrier to Employment

This week the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy held a hearing on the reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The hearing, chaired by Senator John Breaux (D-LA), focused on the goal of helping families move from welfare to work. Senator Breaux opened the hearing by stating that many families currently receiving TANF benefits will have trouble moving to full-time work without remedial services, treatment, training, or education because they face multiple barriers, including learning disabilities, illiteracy, domestic violence, mental health and substance abuse problems. Senator Breaux voiced concern about the Administration's TANF reauthorization proposal, stating that its work requirements would not permit States to provide sufficient services to TANF beneficiaries facing acute barriers, such as illiteracy, a significant problem in Louisiana.

Appearing before the Senate Subcommittee were four witnesses representing different perspectives on the TANF program. Natasha Metcalf, the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Human Services, testified about Tennessee's initiatives to overcome barriers to employment, including a program that has used TANF funds to provide counseling to beneficiaries with addiction, mental health and domestic violence problems. Michelle Laureano, a TANF recipient from New Jersey, talked about her difficulties working as a single parent with four children, three of whom have special needs. Stephanie Smith, Director of Operations, Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona, testified about Goodwill programs, including drug and alcohol treatment and job training programs that have helped many individuals move from welfare to work. David Butler, Vice President of Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation in New York, a non-partisan think-tank, discussed work requirements in the Administration's TANF reauthorization proposal. He testified that drug and alcohol treatment should count as work for at least six to twelve months, as opposed to three months - the standard that the Bush Administration and House Republican leadership has proposed.

The Senate Finance Committee is preparing to review TANF reauthorization legislation sometime during the next few weeks, before the Memorial Day recess. It is unclear at this time how Senate Finance Committee legislation will differ from the Bush Administration's reauthorization proposal.