Federal Government Shutdown

Congress struck down a proposal to continue to fund the government at current levels through the end of November amid ongoing debate about funding guarantees, health care subsidies, and legislative authority. Because Congress was unable to pass a continuing resolution (CR) by September 30th, the Federal government has officially shut down.

A continuing resolution is a short-term spending measure that keeps the government funded while Congress works toward passing full appropriations bills. Without a CR or an enacted budget, federal agencies lose funding authority, triggering a shutdown. The duration of the shutdown depends on how quickly Congress can reach an agreement on funding.

During the shutdown:

• Non-essential federal operations will pause.
• Essential services (such as Social Security, Medicare, national defense, and air traffic control) will continue.
• Federal employees in non-essential roles will be furloughed, while essential employees will continue working without pay until funding is restored.
• Grant programs, federal contracts, and certain agency services may face delays or suspension.

One key element we will be watching is telehealth provisions. A telehealth extension is expected to be included in the final CR, but currently the wavier for Medicare’s six month in-person visit requirement is set to expire October 1st.

The American Counseling Association will continue to monitor the situation and assess its potential impact on counseling programs, federal grant opportunities, and broader access to mental health services. If you would like to advocate for telehealth, get more involved in ACA’s advocacy efforts or have questions, please contact us at advocacy@counseling.org