State and county public health departments, alongside nonprofit organizations, are reeling after the Trump administration’s abrupt decision to cancel $11.4 billion in COVID-era funding for programs addressing addiction, mental health, and other critical services.
Keith Humphreys, an addiction policy researcher at Stanford University, voiced his concerns over the impact of the funding cuts. “This is chopping things off in the middle while people are actually doing the work,” he said. Humphreys warned that the decision could lead to layoffs and disruptions in treatment services. “Services will be dropped in the middle. Bang, the clinic is closing. It’s a brutal way to make these cuts,” he added.
The federal grant funding, which had been set to last through September 2025, was frozen following a statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). According to the HHS spokesperson, the decision made sense as the COVID-19 pandemic is considered over. “The COVID-19 pandemic is over, and HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic,” the statement explained. The administration plans to shift its focus to addressing America’s chronic disease epidemic.
While drug overdoses linked to fentanyl and other substances have seen a decline due to increased funding for addiction treatment under the Biden administration, the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that more than 84,000 people in the U.S. still die annually from street drugs.
The Trump administration had already made fentanyl smuggling a major priority early in its term, but it also slashed federal research on addiction. Additionally, President Trump pardoned a tech mogul convicted of operating a platform used to traffic illicit drugs. The administration is also merging the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) into a new entity, the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), which is expected to lead to the loss of 20,000 federal jobs.
Experts have criticized the decision to rescind funding for addiction care. Regina LaBelle, a Georgetown University drug policy expert, warned that cutting funds could reverse the progress made in reducing overdose deaths. “With overdose deaths still exceeding 80,000 annually, is DOGE declaring victory?” LaBelle questioned in a social media post.
In response to the cuts, some state leaders have expressed concerns. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s office stated they are awaiting more details before commenting, while Democratic leaders have strongly condemned the decision. U.S. Senator Patty Murray from Washington called the cuts “senseless,” explaining that they would undermine the state’s ability to provide vital services, such as disease prevention and mental health care. In Washington, a loss of $160 million in federal funds could cost more than 200 jobs.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also criticized the cuts, stating that her state would lose approximately $300 million, much of which supports rural health departments. “At a time when New York is facing an ongoing opioid epidemic and a mental health crisis, these cuts will be devastating,” Hochul said.
In Colorado, the Behavioral Health Administration warned that the $250 million loss would impact as many as 60 programs, putting patients at risk. “In so many cases, these are life-saving programs and services, and we worry for the well-being of those who have come to count on this support,” said spokeswoman Allie Eliot.
While HHS officials downplayed the cuts’ effects, they emphasized that many of the rescinded grants were linked to pandemic-specific efforts, such as addressing COVID-19 health disparities in high-risk populations. However, addiction activists like Tom Wolf in San Francisco expressed concern that effective treatment programs could be defunded at a time when overdose deaths remain high.
As the situation unfolds, addiction experts are anticipating further cuts to Medicaid funding, which is a primary source of coverage for drug and alcohol treatment in the U.S. “It’s a frightening prospect,” said Humphreys. “That will be extremely painful for families facing addiction.”
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