The Trump administration has abruptly revoked approximately $11.4 billion in federal grants, originally allocated for addiction treatment, mental health services, and other public health programs. These funds, which were set to run through September 2025, were primarily COVID-era grants intended to support public health initiatives at the state and county levels, as well as nonprofit organizations.
Keith Humphreys, an addiction policy researcher at Stanford University, criticized the decision, warning it would lead to immediate layoffs and disruptions in treatment. “Services will be dropped in the middle. Bang, the clinic is closing,” he said.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) defended the cuts, stating that since the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, the government will no longer “waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic.” The administration intends to redirect funding to address chronic diseases instead.
While fatal overdoses related to fentanyl and other substances have declined in recent years—partly due to increased addiction treatment funding under the Biden administration—more than 84,000 people still die from drug-related causes annually in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
At the same time, the Trump administration has prioritized cracking down on fentanyl smuggling, extending an emergency declaration related to the opioid crisis. However, it has also reduced the number of federal researchers focused on addiction and pardoned a tech mogul convicted of creating a dark web platform used for illicit drug sales.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is being merged into a new entity, the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), as part of a broader restructuring of HHS, which is expected to eliminate 20,000 federal jobs.
Experts warn that pulling addiction-related funding could reverse recent progress in reducing overdose deaths. Regina LaBelle, a drug policy expert at Georgetown University, criticized the move, calling it a declaration of victory while overdoses still exceed 80,000 deaths per year.
Several Democratic leaders have condemned the cuts. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) said her state stands to lose $160 million, potentially costing over 200 public health jobs. New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned that her state would lose $300 million, mainly impacting rural county health departments. Colorado officials estimate that $250 million in federal cuts will affect 60 programs, placing patients at risk.
Despite supporting some of Trump’s drug policies, addiction activist Tom Wolf voiced concerns about defunding effective treatment programs. Experts also anticipate deep cuts to Medicaid, the largest provider of addiction treatment coverage, which could have severe consequences for families struggling with addiction.
