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Yes, a lot of these funds were initially allocated for COVID-related needs, but they were later redirected to address mental health, addiction, and homelessness — areas that are chronically underfunded and where demand has surged. I work closely with organizations providing these services, and none of them have the resources needed to fully meet the growing community needs. Despite that, they work tirelessly, and the impact of their work is immense. To put this into perspective:
• These proposed cuts represent just 0.5% of the HHS budget ($11B out of $1.7T), yet they target some of our most critical safety net programs. • Cutting these services is incredibly risky — not just from a human impact perspective, but also economically. • Addiction and mental health crises drive massive costs to our already overloaded healthcare system. Without these programs, downstream costs to hospitals, law enforcement, and public health will skyrocket. • Criminal justice and public safety costs will increase. Untreated mental illness and substance use are strongly correlated with higher rates of incarceration, emergency interventions, and violent incidents, including mass shootings, where mental health is often a factor. These cuts may save dollars now, but they will almost certainly cost us far more down the road. And the human impact will be immeasurable. |