Widespread Layoffs at SAMHSA Amid Government Shutdown
As the government shutdown persists, significant staff reductions have occurred at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). More than 100 employees were laid off, as reported by NPR. This follows a broader trend of job cuts across various government agencies.
Sources within SAMHSA, who requested anonymity, revealed that the layoffs were part of a government-wide “Reduction in Force” announced late on a Friday evening. The reasons behind the selection of those laid off were not disclosed, leaving many employees in a state of uncertainty. “I think the general feeling today is shock — and not understanding why?” a source expressed to NPR.
Estimates suggest approximately 125 employees were affected, although this number remains unofficial. Previously employing about 900 people, SAMHSA has seen its workforce reduced by nearly half since the beginning of the Trump administration.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees SAMHSA, confirmed the layoffs in response to the ongoing Democrat-led shutdown. “HHS employees across multiple divisions are receiving reduction-in-force notices as a direct consequence of the Democrat-led government shutdown,” stated Andrew Nixon, HHS’s director of communications, in an email to NPR.
Established in 1992, SAMHSA plays a critical role in mental health services, managing the 988 suicide prevention hotline and distributing billions in grants for mental health and addiction programs. Its funding, around $7.5 billion in 2024, is crucial for state-level mental health initiatives. Concerns have been raised about the impact of these cuts on mental health services nationwide.
Potential Repercussions for Mental Health Services
Rachel Winograd, a psychologist at the University of Missouri-Saint Louis, emphasized the importance of SAMHSA’s funding, telling NPR, “If those grants were to go away, we’d be screwed.” Despite its importance, the current administration has shown little support for SAMHSA, with proposals to significantly reduce its budget and integrate its functions into a new entity, the Administration for a Healthy America.
CDC Faces Staff Reductions Amid Confusion
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also experienced staff cutbacks on the same Friday evening. However, the situation at the CDC appears fluid, with some layoffs reportedly being reversed. NPR obtained a letter from Tom Nagy, HHS’s Chief Human Capital Officer, revoking a layoff notice for a CDC employee. The extent of these reversals remains unclear.
According to a laid-off CDC official, the cuts have targeted departments crucial to public health, including those dealing with disease surveillance and outbreak forecasting. The New York Times reported similar extensive cuts, including two senior officials responsible for the CDC’s measles response team. HHS’s statement did not specifically address these cuts but suggested more changes could follow.
HHS’s Nixon indicated that the department continues to eliminate “wasteful and duplicative entities” as part of the Trump administration’s health agenda.
NPR’s Pien Huang and Jeff Brady contributed to this report.
