Dozens of employees at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) were laid off last week as part of a wave of government firings tied to the recent shutdown, according to multiple sources cited by ABC News.
SAMHSA, which oversees the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, partners with local and state governments to manage mental health and addiction services. The agency also distributes billions of dollars in federal grants aimed at improving access to care and treatment programs nationwide.
Key Departments Affected
The layoffs reportedly included staff working in child, adolescent, and family mental health services, raising concerns about how program oversight and grant management could be affected.
While the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not issued a public statement, internal sources described SAMHSA as being “hard hit” by the recent cuts.
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Background: A Pattern of Reductions
The latest SAMHSA layoffs follow earlier budget reductions this spring, when roughly one in ten of the agency’s 900 employees were dismissed under the so-called “DOGE cuts.” Some remaining staff have since been reassigned to other programs within HHS.
Federal officials have yet to clarify whether further reductions are planned or how ongoing projects — including 988 hotline support, opioid recovery grants, and community health initiatives — will continue under the smaller workforce.
Concerns Over Continuity of Care
Mental health advocates warn that staff reductions at SAMHSA could slow progress on national priorities, including suicide prevention, crisis intervention, and addiction treatment.
Without adequate oversight, experts say, grant disbursement delays and reduced state-level coordination could jeopardize access to services for millions of Americans who rely on federally funded programs.
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