BHT Bytes – Cutting Care: How Federal Cuts Threaten Mental Health Across America – Episode 381

Federal funding cuts aren’t just trimming budgets, they’re dismantling the lifelines millions depend on. In this episode of BHT Bytes, hosts Peter Fenger and Sharlee Dixon unpack the sweeping rollback of public health funding led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration. With a proposed $12 billion in cuts, including $11 billion from the CDC and $1 billion from SAMHSA, critical programs like mental health services, addiction treatment, HIV prevention, and virtual therapy are on the chopping block. These reductions target resources established under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), threatening to destabilize care in underserved communities, rural areas, and among vulnerable populations like veterans. We examine what these cuts mean for the future of behavioral health in the U.S., how communities are responding, and why the loss of this funding could reverse decades of hard-won progress.

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