The Department of Health and Human Services has reinstated $2 billion in mental-health and substance-abuse grants one day after notifying recipients the money was canceled, an administration official confirmed to Marcus L. Bennett.
At a Glance
- HHS reversed a decision to cancel $2 billion in SAMHSA grants
- Recipients were told Tuesday the funds were gone; Wednesday they were restored
- Rep. Rosa DeLauro says Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “bowed to public pressure”
- Why it matters: The abrupt reversal prevents disruption to suicide hotlines, opioid treatment, and disaster-response counseling nationwide
The about-face came Wednesday for programs run through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which bankrolls suicide and crisis lines, opioid-use treatments, and behavioral-health responses to disasters.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, blamed Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the confusion.
“These are cuts he should not have issued in the first place,” she said in a statement. “He must be cautious when making decisions that will impact Americans’ health. Our policy must be thoughtful – not haphazard and chaotic. This episode has only created uncertainty and confusion for families and healthcare providers.”
Initial Cancellation Sparks Outcry
On Tuesday, grant recipients received notice that their federal funding was being yanked. The announcement triggered immediate pushback from physicians and behavioral-health advocates.
The American College of Emergency Physicians issued a press release saying it was “deeply concerned” with the move.
“These abrupt cuts threaten to dismantle the fragile continuum of care that helps people access treatment early and stay connected to services,” said Dr. L. Anthony Cirillo, the group’s president.
Daniel H. Gillison Jr., CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, called the planned cuts “disheartening and cruel.”
“These abrupt and unjustified cuts will immediately disrupt suicide prevention efforts, family and peer recovery support, overdose prevention and treatment, and mental health awareness and education programming, along with so many more essential services, putting an unknown number of lives at stake,” Gillison said before the reversal.
Scope of Restored Funding
SAMHSA, a division of HHS, focuses on mental-health, behavioral, and substance-use disorders. The reinstated $2 billion supports:
- 24/7 suicide and crisis phone lines
- Opioid-use disorder treatments
- Behavioral-health services after natural or man-made disasters
- Community mental-health clinics
- Peer and family recovery networks
News Of Losangeles has reached out to HHS for additional details on what prompted the initial cancellation and the subsequent reinstatement.
Political Fallout
DeLauro, who oversees federal health spending, framed the episode as a cautionary tale about governance.
“This episode has only created uncertainty and confusion for families and healthcare providers,” she said, urging Kennedy to consult Congress before future funding moves.
No timeline has been given for when the reinstated dollars will reach programs on the ground.
