WASHINGTON — Thirty-five members of the U.S. House are urging Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy to reverse recent layoffs at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and to provide Congress with detailed information about the agency’s restructuring.
Lawmakers are requesting a breakdown of how many employees remain in each SAMHSA center, office, and division, as well as the reasoning behind the reorganization.
Last week, the Trump administration announced additional mass layoffs at SAMHSA, with more than 100 employees losing their jobs.
“These layoffs violate federal law, which prohibits reductions in force during a government shutdown,” said Rep. Maggie Woodlander, D-New Hampshire, in a statement.
SAMHSA oversees critical programs such as the 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and the State Opioid Response grants. The agency also funds addiction treatment, housing support, and peer recovery programs nationwide.
“This RIF comes on the heels of a series of actions taken by the administration to defund SAMHSA,” the lawmakers wrote. “The Department’s dangerous vision to combine SAMHSA with other divisions to create the Administration for a Healthy America will dilute the program’s impact on addiction and mental health.
They added that HHS’s 10 regional offices—already consolidated into four—had seen significant staffing cuts before the most recent layoffs. “These cuts weaken our ability to respond to crises and save lives,” the letter said.
The lawmakers are calling for all affected SAMHSA employees to be reinstated, saying the decision was made with little regard for the communities that depend on the agency’s work.
A federal judge has temporarily paused the layoffs. In a lawsuit filed by the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston granted a restraining order to halt implementation of the reductions.
The issue will be revisited in court on Oct. 28, and SAMHSA employees affected by the recent layoffs remain at risk.
Here is the full text of the letter:
Dear Secretary Kennedy,
We write to you regarding the Reduction in Force (RIF) at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). It has been reported that numerous SAMHSA employees have been laid off, which is the latest in a series of actions that this administration has taken to weaken SAMHSA, a vital resource in the fight against the substance use and mental health epidemics.
Far too many American families have experienced the devastating impacts of the addiction and mental health crises. Instead of supporting our communities, the administration has repeatedly taken steps to eliminate resources from those who need them most. Our understanding is that more than 100 employees have been laid off, a significant divestment in SAMHSA’s workforce that will be detrimental to the program’s ability to distribute resources and support community organizations.
SAMHSA has served as a critical lifeline for countless individuals, advancing prevention efforts—including the distribution of naloxone—while also supporting comprehensive treatment and recovery services. It has played a key role in building the 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, expanding peer support networks, and enhancing crisis care coordination. Additionally, SAMHSA has extended vital prevention, treatment, and recovery resources to Americans living with mental health and substance use disorders, including those in underserved rural areas and communities impacted by disasters.
This RIF comes on the heels of a series of actions taken by the administration to defund SAMHSA. The Department’s dangerous vision to combine SAMHSA with other divisions to create the Administration for a Healthy America will dilute the program’s impact on addiction and mental health. HHS’s 10 regional offices, which include SAMHSA offices, have been consolidated into four and SAMHSA’s staff had already been significantly reduced before the latest RIF. These cuts weaken our ability to respond to crises and save lives.
From the cancelation of a suicide and drug addiction prevention summit to the halting of the construction of a mental health crisis center, our constituents’ health is hanging in the balance. This administration’s decision to dismantle SAMHSA has been executed without regard for the communities that will be harmed. We urge you to reverse your decision to lay off these workers and reinstate them immediately. We must return these employees to their lifesaving work.
Given the urgency of the matter, we also ask that you provide the following information by October 31, 2025.
- Describe, in detail, the reorganization of SAMHSA, the justification for such reorganization, and how many employees remain in each Center, office and division. For each change either by reorganization and/or staff reduction, please provide a comparison to staffing prior to January 20, 2025, and how proposed changes will improve the ability of the Department to carry out its authorized and funded activities.
- Does SAMHSA retain its own grant making function as statutorily required or does that now go through HRSA?
- When will SAMHSA disseminate information to stakeholders (Advisory Committees, grantees, Congress, and others) about the new staffing configuration?
- It has been reported that the entire Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) team was laid off. Please delineate each Center, office and division in which staffing has been reduced more than 50 percent compared to January 20, 2025, and expected impacts on Congressionally mandated activities.
We thank you for your attention and consideration of this request, and we look forward to your timely response.
