FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Doctors for America
PO Box: 21161
2300 18th St NW Lbby
Washington, DC 20009-9996
January 16, 2026
SAMHSA Cuts Could Kill: Doctors for America Calls for Adequate Funding for Mental Health and Addiction Resources
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the Trump administration proposed cutting $1.9 billion in funding and grants to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that uses its funding to provide life-saving medical services, education, research and programming for some of our most vulnerable populations, namely, those who suffer from mental illness, substance use disorder, and homelessness. Though the imposed budget cuts have been reversed, Doctors for America strongly emphasizes the importance of adequate funding of SAMHSA and ensuring that patients continue to have access to the health services that they need. Extreme funding cuts would result in reduction of vital operations and reduce SAMHSA’s ability to provide care and support to millions of Americans across the country.
Among the vital services funded through SAMHSA is the 988 suicide and crisis hotline, which has received nearly 14.5 million calls, texts, and messages since its introduction in July 2022. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States with nearly 50,000 people dying by suicide in 2023 and another 12.8 million Americans having had serious thoughts of suicide. With the rates of anxiety and depression on the rise in both adolescents and adults, now is not the time to cut back on mental health resources, but rather to strengthen investments in evidence-based strategies to address this public health crisis. The number of people using the 988 hotline highlights the profound need to continue providing crisis support for the millions of Americans using this service each year. The Trump administration already shutdown the option 3 component of the 988 hotline which directed LGBTQ+ callers to specially trained counselors. Mental health support is critical as the consequences of cuts would be fatal and would lead to preventable deaths.
SAMHSA is also an essential funding source for addressing the opioid epidemic. Opioids have led to the death of hundreds of thousands of Americans. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 1999 and 2023, the number of overdose deaths increased tenfold. In fact, 2023 was the first year that saw a decline in overdose deaths, largely due to increased access to services such as methadone and suboxone, recovery clinics, long-term recovery housing programs and other support networks for those suffering from opioid use disorder. These cuts would cancel grants for programs such as the Opioid Response Network which offers training and support for local authorities on managing substance use disorder. Now is not the time to reverse course in the progress we are making in this epidemic.
In addition to the cost of human lives, the proposed cuts to SAMHSA would have had significant economic impacts and exacerbate the healthcare crisis in America. In 2017, the direct cost of substance use disorder care in emergency departments alone was $13 billion. This number will continue to be astronomically high if preventative measures that have been reducing overdose and death are defunded.
Finally, the Trump administration has repeatedly said that they are dedicated to addressing the opioid crisis and even went so far as to declare it a “national security emergency.” Though the decision to enact $1.9 billion budget cuts was reversed, we worry more cuts to mental health and addiction services could be proposed in the future. SAMHSA already faced one round of proposed cuts in Summer 2025; further funding cuts would be devastating.Cutting SAMHSA and mental health funding will lead to preventable loss of human life. Doctors for America appreciates the reversal of these budget cuts and calls on our current administration to protect future funding for SAMHSA. Our patients’ lives depend on it.
Contact your senators and state representatives in support of SAMHSA.
###
About Doctors for America
Doctors for America (DFA) is a national nonprofit that mobilizes over 40,000 physicians and medical trainees to advocate for policies that improve the health of patients and communities. Through advocacy training and action at the state and federal levels, DFA works to expand access to affordable care, strengthen community health and prevention efforts, and advance health justice and equity. We do not accept funding from pharmaceutical, insurance, or for-profit health care entities, ensuring our work remains fiercely independent and patient-centered. DFA puts patients over politics—and over profits. Find out more at doctorsforamerica.org and Bluesky drsforamerica.bsky.social.