In Case You Haven't Heard…

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) isn't going to comment on media reports on a 50% reduction in staff. However, Faces & Voices of Recovery, the American Psychiatric Association, congressional Democrats, and others have spoken out in support of the agency. When SAMHSA broke its silence (imposed since January 20) to announce the public health emergency renewal last week (see story, page 1) all it did was stir up anger about the proposed cuts, as well as other cuts to substance use disorder services. In addition, as Andrew Kessler pointed out, there was no funding in appropriations as a supplemental to go along with that public health emergency ‐‐ just as there was no funding to go along with the initial public health emergency, announced by Trump during his first presidency in 2017.