Federal Cuts Hit Mental Health Infrastructure
The nation’s mental health infrastructure is buckling as more funding and positions are cut from the federal agency that was created to address the needs of Americans suffering from psychological and substance abuse disorders.
Between 140 and 160 people lost their jobs at the Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in recent weeks, according to the Committee to Protect Public Mental Health. This leaves about 300 staff members managing an agency to oversee an $8.1 billion budget and coordinate programs and manage grants across the country. The agency has managed the 988 crisis hotline and supported research into substance abuse disorders.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a national nonprofit, said the cuts were “deeply alarming.”
“The United States is in the midst of an ongoing mental health, overdose, and suicide crisis, one of the most widespread and enduring public health challenges of our time,” NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. said in a statement. “We cannot afford to undermine the only federal agency charged with addressing what is, for so many Americans, a daily struggle.”
The elimination of the jobs and functions of the agency goes a long way toward the goals of some advocates who have called for eliminating it entirely, with some criticizing it as ineffective and bloated. They have said any of its responsibilities should be absorbed into other agencies. No plan has been made public justifying the cuts and how services will continue, if at all. The Trump administration has said it is making budget cuts because of the government shutdown that began Oct 1, 2025.
In Colorado, Rep. Brittany Pettersen told local public radio that after the latest cuts, she was expecting cascading effects from the federal government would hit her community. “It's devastating when I think about how many lives are going to be lost because the limited funding that we get from the federal government is going to be delayed, unlawfully withheld,” she said.
Beyond the shutdown, the Trump administration has made significant funding cuts despite Congress having allocated it to specific programs. By doing so, the executive branch has usurped the constitutional powers of Congress.
What else we are reading:
Mental health in schools: A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore funding for mental health workers in schools, according to the Associated Press. The Trump administration had objected to the decision to allocate some funds based on race. The judge said the decision was arbitrary.
Neurotech moratorium: An international group of neuroscience experts is calling for a moratorium on implantable non-medical devices until researchers can establish a Mental Impact Assessment to evaluate adverse psychological effects. (Neuoroethics, October 2025)
Chatbot Regulations: Lawmakers have introduced legislation to require age verification of AI chatbots following allegations that some have encouraged suicide among young people. The Center for Humane Technology has an analysis worth checking out.