Trump's Health and Human Services cuts will hurt thousands of New Yorkers

Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services abruptly slashed 10,000 jobs and billions in grant funds serving vulnerable Americans, many right here in New York. States were notified that $12 billion in federal grants were being terminated with only hours’ notice. These funds support critical, lifesaving services — efforts to prevent and contain infectious diseases like bird flu and measles, the 988 crisis hotline for those facing mental health difficulties or substance abuse, and programs to address mental health crises.

In New York State alone, the toll is devastating — $300 million cut from public health, $40 million lost for addiction services, and $27 million eliminated from mental health. Many health, addiction, and mental health professionals are losing their jobs. Far more people are being denied lifesaving services, with no evidence whatsoever that any of these programs were wasteful or fraudulent, the reason for the cuts given by the Trump administration. The data demonstrates the need for these services is not only significant but increasing.

These cuts also directly curb economic and social stability. In New York, close to 9,000 residents visited an emergency department due to an opioid-related overdose in 2023 and 8,000 more died of alcohol abuse. In 2022, 3.2 million New Yorkers were living with mental illness, and close to 2,000 lives were lost to suicide.

Here are some of the practical effects of these cuts:

The 988 crisis line, a vital resource for Americans struggling with mental illness and addiction, will be weakened and likely eliminated, cutting care for individuals and families in urgent need. The New York State Office of Mental Health reports there have been hundreds of thousands of texts and calls to 988 since 2021. In 2022, more than 31,000 former members of the armed forces were directly connected to the Veterans Crisis Line.

Millions who rely on addiction and mental health support likely will lose access to essential services — from prevention and harm reduction to treatment and recovery. In New York, critical programs like certified community behavioral health clinics, opioid treatment programs, assertive community treatment teams, crisis stabilization centers, and suicide prevention services are at risk. Severely underfunded, these programs can't withstand further cuts. Without support, the care needed to rebuild health, stability, and hope will be denied for millions who rely on these vital services to sustain recovery and remain connected to their families, workplace, and communities. These cuts will slow down or worse, reverse the progress New York has made to expand access to mental health and addiction services through investments made by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature.

There are many other issues with which the American public needs to cope due to this administration's misguided actions, from education funding cuts to threats to Social Security. But these cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services cross the line. Advocates will no doubt seek help from the courts to try to reverse these actions, but much damage will be done in the meantime. Now is the time to speak out and urge congressional action. The well-being of thousands of people in New York and across the nation depends on it.

This guest essay reflects the views of Columbia University professor Stanley S. Litow and Jihoon Kim, president and chief executive of InUnity Alliance, an advocacy organization representing 200 community-based organizations serving New Yorkers at risk of, or living with, addiction.