President Donald Trump. (Photo: Ben Solis/Michigan Advance)
Last Tuesday night, the Trump administration notified agencies that it had abruptly withheld $2 billion — including millions in Ohio — for programs supporting vulnerable people. Facing a powerful backlash, the tables were turned a day later.
The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on Tuesday evening sent letters to public and private providers of services aimed at supporting children’s mental health, preventing teen suicide, helping the homeless, helping people with addictions and other services.
Across the country, workers in these programs wondered how they would pay their bills and worried about what would happen to those who suddenly lost facilitate.
Even after the cuts were reversed, the chaos further demoralized social workers who were already reeling from deep Republican cuts to Medicaid and federal food aid that Trump signed into law last summer. – NPR reported.
SAMHSA is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This agency is headed by Robert Kennedy Jr., who himself is: recovering drug addict who did highly controversial changes in health policy.
Agency letter notified providers that it is ending programs “if the award no longer impacts program goals or agency priorities.”
Programs cut included mental health and addiction treatment programs, even though those were priorities on behalf of the agency.
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.
The letter said it wants to promote “innovative programs and interventions that address the rising rates of mental illness and addiction, overdoses and suicide, and their links to chronic disease, homelessness and other challenges facing our (n)nation’s communities.”
No reference was made to the potential harm that eliminating existing programs without warning could cause to people suffering from these problems.
The Ohio Children’s Alliance works with local groups to facilitate teenage adults transitioning out of foster care, provide behavioral health services to children, support for vulnerable families and other services.
Funding for a program providing extra facilitate to families caring for children with special needs was cut as part of Tuesday’s emergency budget axe.
“Like many charities across the country, we were caught in rapid change this week related to SAMHSA grant decisions,” Mecum, chief executive of Children’s Alliance, said in an email Thursday.
“The uncertainty has directly impacted one of our major initiatives – focused on building respite care capacity for children and families. We appreciate our state partners at the Department of Behavioral Health who have demonstrated transparency as we await formal federal guidance.”
He added: “Regardless of the final outcome, this episode underscores how important it is that federal funding decisions are stable and predictable so that states and community-based organizations can provide reliable, sustainable programs that empower families.”
Asked for comment Wednesday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s office and the Department of Behavioral Health said they were monitoring the situation and could not provide further comment. It is unclear whether DeWine registered any protest with the Trump administration.
SAMHSA did not respond to a request for comment.
NPR reported immediate, two-way reaction to sudden cuts, which may explain why they were repealed so quickly.
While groups that work with vulnerable populations can breathe a sigh of relief, Tuesday’s cuts were not the first the Trump administration has made to SAMHSA.
At the beginning of last year, a group led by Elon Musk lay off 100 employees at the agency, including assistance in running Suicide and crisis hotline 988.
Musk’s group has also cut resources to fight Ohio’s opioid crisis.
“Preventing overdoses and substance abuse was specifically targeted under (Musk) cuts, jeopardizing recent progress in the fight to end the opioid epidemic…” Policy Matters Ohio reported in April.
“SAMSHA staff also provide expertise, support and data tracking to manage the state Opioid and Stimulant Treatment Grant, which is a critical component of Ohio’s response to the opioid crisis.“
