March 28, 2025 – The Trump administration’s recent decision to cancel approximately $11.4 billion in federal grants aimed at addiction, mental health, and public health programs has left state and local public health departments, as well as nonprofit organizations, reeling. This move has sparked concerns over disruptions in vital services, such as addiction treatment and mental health care, which had been funded through the COVID-era grants.
The federal funds, originally intended to last through September 2025, were part of efforts initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in a statement sent to NPR, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) justified the decision by declaring that the pandemic was over and that the funds would no longer be needed. The statement emphasized the refocusing of funding on what the administration described as America’s “chronic disease epidemic” instead of the COVID-19 response.
Concerns Over Service Disruptions and Layoffs
Keith Humphreys, a Stanford University addiction policy researcher, expressed alarm at the sudden cuts, calling the decision “brutal” for the organizations that had been working with the funding. “This is chopping things off in the middle while people are actually doing the work,” said Humphreys, who also volunteers in harm reduction efforts. He warned that the revocation of the grants could lead to widespread layoffs and disruptions in addiction treatment services.
These cuts come at a time when drug overdoses, particularly those involving fentanyl and other opioids, still claim more than 84,000 lives annually in the United States. Despite the reduction in overdose deaths over recent years, partly due to increased funding for addiction treatment under the Biden administration, experts fear that these cuts could reverse the progress made in combating the opioid crisis.
Political and Public Health Reactions
Several public health officials, including Regina LaBelle, a drug policy expert at Georgetown University, criticized the cuts, noting that they could undermine efforts to reduce overdose deaths. LaBelle wrote on social media, “DOGE is now actively cutting funding aimed at reducing overdose deaths by clawing back money from states. With overdose deaths still exceeding 80,000 annually, is DOGE declaring victory?”
Democratic leaders across the country condemned the decision. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said the cuts would have devastating effects on public health, potentially leading to job losses and decreased access to mental health and addiction treatment. In Washington, the loss of $160 million in federal funding could result in the loss of over 200 jobs in public health organizations.
Similarly, Governor Kathy Hochul of New York warned that her state would lose about $300 million in funding, much of it directed toward rural health departments. She stressed that New York, grappling with an ongoing opioid epidemic, mental health crisis, and outbreaks of diseases like measles, could not afford to absorb such massive cuts.
In Colorado, Allie Eliot, a spokeswoman for the state’s Behavioral Health Administration, expressed concern that $250 million in cuts could affect as many as 60 programs, potentially putting patients at risk. “In so many cases, these are life-saving programs and services,” Eliot said, stressing the uncertainty faced by individuals who rely on these critical services.
Administration’s Response and Impact on Medicaid
While HHS officials downplayed the severity of the cuts, claiming that most of the rescinded funds were linked to outdated pandemic-era programs, the decision has left addiction experts and public health officials worried about the future of addiction treatment in the U.S.
Tom Wolf, an addiction activist in San Francisco, voiced mixed feelings about the cuts, acknowledging that while some aspects of the Trump administration’s approach to addiction may be beneficial, the rapid pace of change could risk undermining effective treatment programs. “Are they stopping to look at the efficacy of those programs?” Wolf asked.
Experts also warned that the cuts to addiction-related grants could signal deeper reductions in Medicaid funding, which provides the largest source of insurance coverage for drug and alcohol treatment in the U.S. Keith Humphreys from Stanford University expressed concern that the Republican budget framework could lead to severe cuts in Medicaid, a scenario that would have profound consequences for families facing addiction.
As the impacts of these cuts continue to unfold, addiction treatment providers and public health officials across the nation are bracing for further challenges in addressing the ongoing substance use crisis in the U.S.
