The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) has released a statement expressing their alarm over proposed federal funding cuts that they say would be “devastating for people with mental illness.”

The proposed budget would cut $1.1 billion from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), or a 15% reduction.

“Mental health care is one of the few issues where there is strong and deep bipartisan support – largely because no family is untouched by our nation’s mental health, overdose, and suicide crises,” said Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI’s Chief Advocacy Officer. “Cuts of this magnitude would certainly disrupt critical research and programs that help people with mental illness get well and stay well, resulting in more people’s symptoms getting worse and putting people out of work, on the streets, and in jails and emergency rooms.”

NAMI is encouraging mental health advocates to consider the impact the proposed budget cuts would have to programming and contact their Senators and Congressional Representatives about any concerns they may have.

Source: NAMI https://www.nami.org