Critics: SAMHSA cuts imperil overdose progress
The Trump administration has sharply reduced staffing and funding at SAMHSA — cutting $1.7 billion in state block grants, eliminating roughly $350 million for addiction/overdose prevention, and moving to fold the agency into a new structure — prompting warnings from public‑health leaders that national gains against overdose deaths could stall. HHS says it is prioritizing treatment and accountability, while a July court injunction temporarily blocked the reorganization; recent CDC‑linked data show U.S. overdose deaths down to 76,500 in the latest 12 months, with Minnesota among states seeing smaller increases in nonfatal overdoses. These federal cuts could reduce resources to Minnesota and Twin Cities providers that rely on SAMHSA grants for treatment and naloxone access.
📌 Key Facts
- SAMHSA staff reduced by more than half; agency missing 12 of 17 senior leaders
- $1.7B in state block grants and ~$350M in addiction/overdose prevention funding eliminated
- HHS reorganization to fold SAMHSA blocked by a preliminary injunction in July
- Overdose deaths at 76,500 over the latest 12 months, lowest since March 2020
- Minnesota cited among states with smaller increases in nonfatal ED overdose visits in 2025