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Trump’s ‘skinny budget’ includes heavy cuts to mental health and addiction programs. Here are 3 things to watch

KFF Health News
Summary
Nutrition label

71% Informative

President Donald Trump released his 2026 budget blueprint in early May , calling for $163 billion in federal spending cuts.

The proposal includes heavy cuts, totaling more than $22.6 billion , to three federal agencies that address mental health and addiction.

The administration says this will streamline its efforts, but advocates, researchers, and public health practitioners worry this could make the death toll even worse.

The administration wants to cut certain tools used for preventing drug overdoses.

The proposal refers to “harm reduction” efforts, including providing sterile syringes to people using drugs, as “dangerous activities” Researchers say the proposed cuts, if enacted, could hamper efforts to address racial disparities in mental health and addiction.

Susan Collins , the Republican chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee , has said she has “serious objections” to some of the proposed cuts.

Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) held up a packet of naloxone and said the government should amplify what works to decrease overdose deaths.

VR Score

74

Informative language

75

Neutral language

63

Article tone

semi-formal

Language

English

Language complexity

58

Offensive language

offensive

Hate speech

not hateful

Attention-grabbing headline

detected

Known propaganda techniques

not detected

Time-value

short-lived

External references

24

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