Trump slashes mental health agency as shutdown drags on

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NPR

October 11, 2025 7:10 PM ET


The Trump administration has laid off more than 100 employees at the nation's main mental health agency, NPR has learned.

Current and former employees at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) told NPR about the layoffs, which were part of a government-wide reduction in force. The sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly about the agency, said the layoffs came late Friday, as the nation's government shutdown dragged on.

Employees were notified of a "Reduction in Force" shortly before 8 p.m. ET on Friday, according to a source within the agency who was not authorized to discuss the layoffs publicly. According to the source, administration officials offered no rationale for who lost their jobs: "I think the general feeling today is shock — and not understanding why?" the source told NPR.

That source was aware of dozens of firings. Two former employees told NPR that the total number of employees at SAMHSA who lost their jobs was around 125, though that number was a rough estimate. SAMHSA had employed around 900 people. The Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to NPR's request for comment.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/10/11/nx-s1-5571948/trump-mental-health-substance-abuse-cdc-layoffs-jobs

[Paladin]

1. The irony is inescapable.

Downsizing of the nation's main mental health agency---by the most uniformly insane administration this country has ever been burdened with.

[twodogsbarking]

2. this

[OldBaldy1701E]

3. The damage won't be.

All by design.

[Skittles]

11. they blame non-immigrant shooters on "mental health issues"

it's the reason they give to not do anything about guns

of course, repukes don't care about mental health issues any more than they care about gun carnage

[ProudMNDemocrat]

4. MAGAts blame "Mental health" when there are mass shootings....But

slash funding for Mental Health that addresses underlying problems.

Makes no sense to me.

[PSPS]

5. This was going to happen even without a shutdown.

[IbogaProject]

6. He is trying to flood America with illicit drugs

And he will use the "enforcement" of that to punnish dissenters. Every GOP administration since Nixon has had a surge in state supported drug trafficking.

[milestogo]

7. We don't need no stinkin' mental health.

[Bayard]

8. Substance Abuse and Mentally Unhealthy

That pretty much sums up the trump administration.

[Democrats_win]

9. Billionaire psychopath

This is why billionaires should hold no leadership positions in government. He doesn't care about we the people.
FU trump.

[eppur_se_muova]

10. He doesn't have any use for mental health, and doesn't see why anyone else should, either. nt

[mdbl]

12. ... As he puts the entire country into a state of depression

[Turbineguy]

13. That way they can't come after him.

He knows he belongs in a straightjacket.

[yellow dahlia]

14. What could go wrong?

We don't have a mental health crisis in this country.