A number of organizations are calling on the Trump administration to rethink cuts to substance use and mental health services reinforcing the potential impact on the lives of millions of Americans.
More than 80 national, state and local organizations have expressed concern about the deep cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA.
“As organizations working to strengthen access to life-saving substance use and mental health services, medications and supports, we oppose the recent program funding rescissions and staffing cuts at the … only federal agency specifically charged with addressing the needs of the millions of people in this country with substance use and mental health conditions,” the organizations wrote in a joint statement.
“We also oppose any restructuring of HHS that could lead to additional weakening of the infrastructure of critical substance use and mental health services, and/or that harms the broader community infrastructure of health services and supports for people with disabilities, older adults and people living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic diseases.
“HHS’s activities touch the lives of virtually all Americans, playing a critical role in helping people throughout the country access the care they need to get and stay well, and these deep cuts leave us deeply concerned about how this vital work can continue.”
Recent action to rescind $1 billion in funds slated for activities to stem the overdose crisis and trim the agency’s workforce by 50 percent “threatens the vital infrastructure that supports substance use prevention, treatment and recovery, overdose prevention and other harm reduction strategies, as well as mental health services and supports throughout the country.”
The organizations worry about the agency’s capacity to continue data collection and development of important resources that help individuals and their loved ones find and receive appropriate care, inform best practices for providers and communities and facilitate much needed research.
“Reducing funding and staffing at the federal level will no doubt trickle down to states and localities, resulting in likely program closures, layoffs and a weakened network of community-based services nationwide.
“In turn, access to essential care, medications and supports that help millions of children, adults, and families could be severely restricted.
“They will likewise make it extraordinarily difficult to sustain recent, hard-earned reductions in the national overdose death rate and will place people whose rates of overdose continue to increase at even greater risk.”
The organizations also fear that the elimination of offices and regional resources will affect the ability to respond effectively to challenges in the future.
“The loss of experienced federal employees and experts will diminish the quality of research, data collection, guidance and support available to states and localities and will disrupt the synergy within HHS and its capacity to meet the needs of vulnerable communities.
“These cuts will disproportionately affect already underserved populations exacerbating existing health disparities.”
The organizations are asking the administration to use a thoughtful, deliberative process with Congress and take more time to examine the potential impact of cuts before gutting the department just to save money.
“As our nation grapples with the continuing opioid public health emergency and rising mental health needs, the lives of millions of Americans continue to be at stake. We urge the administration to reverse these funding, programmatic and staffing cuts and ensure all Americans can access the care they need to live healthy, safe, fulfilling lives.”
Organizational signatories
- AATOD
- Ad Hoc Committee to Protect Public Mental Health
- Addiction Policy Forum
- Addiction Professionals of North Carolina
- AEM Associates (Minnesota)
- The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- American Association for Community Psychiatry
- American Association on Health and Disability
- American Public Health Association
- Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
- Bridges International
- CADCA
- California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program Executives (CAADPE)
- California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals
- Campaign for Trauma Informed Policy and Practice
- Climate Psychiatry Alliance
- Coalition of Louisiana Addiction Service & Prevention Providers
- The Collaborative for Effective Prescription Opioid Policies (CEPOP)
- The College for Behavioral Health Leadership
- College on Problems of Drug Dependence
- Columbiana County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board (Ohio)
- Community Catalyst
- Drug & Alcohol Service Providers Organization of Pennsylvania
- The Educational Alliance, Inc. (NY)
- Entertainment Industries Council
- Faces and Voices of Recovery
- Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions
- Friends of NIDA
- Girls Inc. of Boston and Lynn
- HIV Medicine Association
- IC&RC
- Impact MN
- Imperial Beach Community Clinic (San Diego)
- Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc.
- International Society of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses
- Jamie Daniels Foundation
- Lakeshore Foundation
- League of United Latin American Citizens
- Legal Action Center
- Maryland Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (MATOD)
- Massachusetts Alcohol Policy Coalition
- Medicare Rights Center
- Mental Health America
- NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals
- National Alliance on Mental Illness
- National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA)
- National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers
- National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors (NACBHDD)
- National Association for Rural Mental Health (NARMH)
- National Behavioral Health Association of Providers
- National Council for Mental Wellbeing
- National Empowerment Center
- National Health Law Program
- National HIRE Network
- NCADD Maryland
- New Alternatives (NYC)
- New Pride Agenda (New York)
- The NYC Justice Peer Initiative
- Ocean Pearl Healing, Inc.
- Odyssey House Louisiana
- Outreach Development Corporation (New York)
- Overdose Prevention Initiative
- PA Recovery Organizations Alliance
- Partnership to End Addiction
- People USA
- Recover Alaska
- SAFE Coalition, INC (Massachusetts)
- Samaritan Daytop Village, Inc (New York)
- The Sibling Leadership Network
- Song for Charlie
- Student Assistance Services Corporation (New York)
- Tarzana Treatment Centers Inc
- TASC, Inc. (Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities)
- Thrive Peer Recovery Services
- Town of Needham – Public Health Division
- Treatment Communities of America
- Treatment Trends, Inc (Allentown, PA)
- WestCare Foundation
- Young People in Recovery
- Zero Overdose
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Crystal Graham
