The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has reversed its decision to roll back more than $2 billion in grant funding dedicated to mental health treatment and substance abuse recovery, NPR reported.
HHS on Tuesday told grantees associated with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, that their projects were no longer aligned with agency priorities.
In termination notices sent to grantees, the agency wrote that it's "adjusting its discretionary award portfolio, which includes terminating some of its awards, in order to better prioritize agency resources."
The document was signed by Christopher D. Carroll, principal deputy assistant secretary at SAMHSA.
Democrats criticized the move, and the agency backtracked under pressure, reinstating the funding Wednesday.
"Kneecapping and defunding the fight against the opioid and mental health epidemics will not 'Make America Healthy Again,' it will put American lives on the line," Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, the top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees HHS funding, said in a statement.
"These are cuts [Robert F. Kennedy Jr.] should not have issued in the first place," Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said in a statement.
"He must be cautious when making decisions that will impact Americans' health. Our policy must be thoughtful — not haphazard and chaotic. This episode has only created uncertainty and confusion for families and healthcare providers."
SAMHSA is a U.S. federal agency, part of HHS, that focuses on improving mental health care and preventing and treating substance use disorders.
Hannah Wesolowski of the National Alliance on Mental Illness told NPR Tuesday it "was a day of panic across the country.
"People are deeply alarmed but hopeful that this money is being restored. This speaks to the bipartisan support in Congress for mental health. We heard from offices on both sides of the political aisle who were working on this issue throughout the day," she added.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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