‘These things are essentially manufactured disasters’: Mental health leader reacts to cutting, reinstatement of federal grant funds
The executive director of the Lucas County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board says organizations are prepared for cuts to happen, just not on short notice.
LUCAS COUNTY, Ohio —
The Trump administration briefly cut off federal grant funding for mental health and addiction programs across the country last week, only to restore that money within 24 hours.
Leaders from mental health organizations said the whiplash of the decision caused chaos, but now they’re moving forward.
“Everybody is scurrying to figure out what are the next steps,” Scott Sylak, the executive director of the Lucas County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, said.
Four organizations in Lucas County — the Zepf Center, Mercy Health, Harbor and Sylvania Prevention Alliance — were notified that the roughly $2.3 million in grant funding they depend on was being cut last week.
The letters said the defunded programs no longer aligned with the mission of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
“From prevention to medication, assisted treatment support, housing for homeless individuals and residential substance use services,” Sylak said.
Syalk said the work these organizations do relies on stability.
“When we see this happening with no notice whatsoever, it takes an incredible toll,” he said. “Not just on the agencies that have to deal with this, but those line staff.”
Sylak said people using services need to be able to trust that their care will continue, and unexpected disruptions can derail progress.
“We’re going to have to change the level of care that you have because we can no longer keep this open or you have till the end of the week to find a new place to live,” Sylak said. “I mean, those are the real-life decisions that were being contemplated in that 24-hour period.”
He said he believes national advocacy efforts pushed the Department of Health and Human Services to rethink the decision and restore funding. Sylak said he knows funding priorities can shift and contingency plans exist, but not with so little notice.
“These things are essentially manufactured disasters,” he said.
Sylak said they are continuing to watch for any funding changes that may be coming. He said funding for mental health and addiction programs has been cyclical in the past, so they have had to work with fewer funds before. He said the key is having enough notice to realign resources.
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