Final answer:
The federal government's leadership in community mental health has not been consistently substantial, with significant reductions during the Reagan era and shifts of authority to states, such as the welfare reform in 1996.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the federal government's leadership in community mental health has been substantial is false. While there have been periods of significant federal involvement in mental health services, such as legislation passed in the late 1970s, this leadership has not been consistently substantial over the years. The deinstitutionalization of mental patients initiated in California under Governor Ronald Reagan and later policies at the federal level during his presidency reduced the role of government in mental health services. These cuts led to an increase in the homeless population, many of whom were mentally ill. Recent efforts, like those during the Obama administration, focused on specific groups like homeless veterans but didn't fully restore earlier funding levels. Additionally, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 is an example of the federal government reducing its monetary support for welfare programs, shifting more authority to the states, which illustrates a potential decline in federal leadership in social services.