• Posted March 13, 2025

Federal Addiction And Mental Health Agency Faces Major Staff Cuts

A key federal agency responsible for addiction and mental health services is facing deep staff cuts.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which has a $7.2 billion budget, oversees vital services such as the 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, opioid addiction treatment programs and mental health grant funding.

It also provides training for nonprofits and state agencies and monitors federal grant spending.

Dora Dantzler-Wright, who works with the Chicago Recovering Communities Coalition, says the cuts have already disrupted operations. "We just continue to do the work without any updates from the feds at all," she said. "But we’re lost."

The cuts come as part of a broader effort to reduce government spending.

Last month, SAMHSA lost about 10% of its staff, and employees recently received offers of $25,000 for voluntary departures. 

Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it is reducing its regional offices from 10 to four.

Mental health and addiction experts warn that shrinking SAMHSA’s workforce could have dire consequences.

“Cutting SAMHSA employees without understanding the impact is extremely dangerous, given the behavioral health crises impacting every corner of our nation,” U.S. Reps. Paul Tonko of New York and Andrea Salinas of Oregon wrote to Kennedy in a letter obtained by The New York Times. It was signed by 57 Democratic House members.

The agency’s work has been credited with helping slow the rise in overdose deaths, which peaked above 100,000 annually in recent years, The Times reported. 

While rates have started to decline, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 87,000 people died of overdoses between September 2023 and September 2024.

Regina LaBelle, former acting director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, called the cuts "shortsighted."

“It might reduce numbers, but it also reduces oversight and accountability,” LaBelle said.

Some experts fear that SAMHSA could be folded into another federal agency or see its funding return to 2019 levels, despite the ongoing addiction and mental health crises. 

The agency has not commented on whether more layoffs are coming, but an official told The Times, "the important collaboration facilitated by SAMHSA’s regional offices continues, regardless of personnel changes, and SAMHSA staff remain diligently responsive to partners around the nation." 

More information

Government Executive has more about federal government layoffs.

SOURCE: The New York Times, March 12, 2025