Making America Suffer Again?
The administration's proposed changes will wreak havoc on mental health and wellbeing
As anticipated, mental health conditions in the U.S. are under attack. Granted, not in any overt way. No one is directly saying that children or adults with mental health conditions do not deserve treatment. But proposed policy changes convey a damaging message.
No matter how you voted, mental health conditions arise… irrespective of political allegiances. You likely know a family member, friend, co-worker or neighbor who suffers.
Here are a few of the latest proposed federal and state-specific changes that can directly impact mental health:
1. False information about psychotropic medications
The newly formed “Make America Healthy Again Commission,” proposes assessing “the prevalence and threat posed by the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors [medications that treat depression and anxiety], antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers.”
While assessing the prevalence or utility of medications may seem innocuous, claiming that these medications pose a threat adds to the misinformation and stigma already associated with such medications.
As a psychologist, I do not prescribe medications. But after 40 years in the field, I am well aware that medications used to treat depression, anxiety, mood instability and psychosis are life-saving and necessary when carefully prescribed. Many patients are reluctant to use medications, though. And I recognize that not everyone necessarily benefits from psychotropic medications; other first-line options, such as psychotherapy, along with exercise, calming strategies, and improved nutrition habits are essential.
However, the administration’s false implication that psychotropic medications pose a threat will deter some people from seeking the treatment they desperately need.
The commission also targets stimulants and weight loss medications. Stimulant medication, when appropriately monitored, can be transformative in assisting learning, focus, and quality of life for people with ADHD. Although weight loss medications can be overprescribed (and I always recommend that clients address weight concerns through lifestyle and nutritional strategies), weight loss medications can be life-saving for some people with serious co-occurring conditions, such as diabetes.
Interestingly, the administration is not investigating other commonly prescribed medications, such as high blood pressure medications or antibiotics or even over-the-counter products that can be abused, such as cough medicine. Instead, they target medications that treat those most emotionally vulnerable.
2. Protections and accommodations for people with mental health conditions, physical disabilities, or neurodivergent conditions may be eliminated in some U.S. states.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits “any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance from discriminating against a qualified individual with a disability.” This act requires that schools, hospitals, or medical offices comply. In addition to facility-wide accommodations for people with physical disabilities, other examples of 504 supports include providing classroom accommodations for children with ADHD, enlisting sign language interpreters to accommodate a hearing impairment, providing a safe space where a child with a severe peanut allergy can eat lunch, or provisions that allow a child with heightened anxiety to leave class to meet with a school counselor.
Yet, in their rush to abolish 2024 changes in the law where gender dysphoria was included in the definition of a disability, 17 U.S. states are joining with a Texas-based lawsuit to declare Section 504 unconstitutional, which may eliminate 504 safeguards altogether. See this document for more information.
3. Potential mental health impacts associated with job loss, reduced care, and elimination of research funding
Proposed funding cuts and widespread layoffs and firings of federal employees will likely impact the mental health of anyone in their path — and are particularly devastating for traditionally underserved populations.
Those most at risk include children in foster care, Medicaid recipients, individuals awaiting disaster relief, and those requiring disability accommodations. In a recent overview of services that will be most affected, Senator Patty Murphy (D-WA) highlighted the services on the cutting block, including the following that directly impact health, well-being, and mental health:
Veterans Affairs: The recent firing of Veterans Administration healthcare employees will reduce the availability of services for Veterans and their families, and increase the already excessive wait time for treatment and processing disability claims. At the time of this writing, they have fired 1000 employees and are cancelling contracts for research that is essential to Veterans’ mental health, such as opioid addiction and suicide, according to Military.com.
Indian Health Service: Funding cuts, along with the recent firing of over 850 healthcare staff in the already burdened Indian Health Service, will negatively affect the health and well-being of Native Americans and Alaskan Natives, whose life expectancy is 11 years less than the national average.
Department of Health and Human Services: According to Murphy, funding cuts to HHS “will undermine everything from biomedical research to public health to substance use treatment to child welfare.” In fact, at the time of this writing, thousands of HHS public health experts have been fired, in what is informally known as the “Valentine’s Day Massacre,” according to a recent article from KFF Health News. This dramatic staff reduction could result in compromised safety inspections and a weaker response to health emergencies and disease surveillance.
4. Implications of NIH funding cuts
Proposed NIH (National Institutes of Health) research funding cuts, as highlighted in a recent New York Times article, would eliminate or drastically slow down progress in research and the development of vital medical and mental health treatment. According to a statement from the Center for American Progress, slashing NIH funding “would undermine scientific integrity, innovation, and public trust and, ultimately, harm health and economic security… and would adversely affect researchers, universities and institutions, and state economies—ultimately limiting medical advancements and therapies available to patients.”
According to the Center for American Progress, every U.S. state is at risk of losing funding and experiencing increased job loss. They summarize the NIH services that are at risk due to funding cuts:
The NIH “funds biomedical research at universities, hospitals, research institutes, biopharmaceutical companies, and laboratories across the country. NIH-funded research spans more than 300 health topics, including substance use, chronic conditions, injuries, mental health, aging conditions, genetic disorders, health disparities, social factors influencing health, and more. In addition, NIH is integral to vaccine development and the availability of new drugs on the market: NIH funding contributed to research for roughly 99 percent of drugs approved between 2010 and 2019.”
What you can do
Even if you don’t suffer from a mental health condition, you and your loved ones may be impacted by policy changes.
While a spate of lawsuits are attempting to stanch the damage, such as this lawsuit filed by the non-profit Doctors of America, outrage over these changes can be channeled into political actions. Voicing your concerns and remaining productively involved can be a helpful outlet, especially when feeling hopeless or overwhelmed. Public health expert Katelyn Jetelina summarizes useful advice when contacting senators and state representatives:
“Highlight the jobs impacted and if it’s yours specifically.
Include economic benefits (or losses) from federal changes to the states. (For example, here is a great tool for NIH impacts.)
Use very simple language and explain directly how your work impacts your community. Or why, as a citizen, you support or oppose policies. Aim for what the average middle schooler would understand. You can check the reading level of what you’re saying here.
Include stories to humanize the policies. Storytelling is the most effective way to communicate what we do or how we are impacted.
What you say matters: avoid polarizing words like misinformation. (Use “rumor” instead.) Other buzzwords are helpful, like innovation or data.”
Final Note: I have shared the information above because of concerns about proposed policy changes and their impact on mental health research and treatment. As I noted in a recent article, I plan to periodically share information about policy impacts on mental health and well-being. If I notice something positive, I will share it as well! Some of you may find this controversial or it might offend your political views; however, I believe that potential problems inherent in policy decisions must be acknowledged, regardless of political perspectives.
If you have additional thoughts, ideas, or differences of opinion, please share them in the comments section below.
This information needs to be shared, Gail. Thank you. People of all political beliefs will be negatively impacted.
Having been a mental health counselor for 20 years and now retired for 5, before these new political developments came about , I was disappointed with the lack of funding and insurance coverage for mental health treatment. This has been an area our society has ignored for a long time. We have an overuse of medication treatment for children because we no longer research alternatives and in my experience the schools are not either willing or not trained in offering alternatives to accommodate different learning styles.
I have seen the benefits of medications but we do often fail to use other forms of treatment because it costs money and requires time and effort and frankly caring. Our food is a major part of our health and behavior problems. We were making little progress for a very long time and I would ask why. Why didn’t we fund mental health treatment and good research that lead to changes in ways to help these populations. Why have the problems gotten so large and out of control? In order to not be so sick our society would benefit from adopting a healthy mindset and create a healthy society that supports those in need. Looking for political solutions from an entity that doesn’t care about the best interests of humanity is never going to work. Government is not meant to solve these problems it is set up to control which is the opposite of health. Bringing together researchers , clinicians, entrepreneurs, and a caring community could unleash creative energy to accomplish so much . It is beyond time to move to a new way of serving one another.