In late August, a tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis left two children dead and injured over a dozen others. Following the incident, Vice President JD Vance remarked on the ongoing mental health crisis in the United States. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also commented, stating that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is reviewing certain antidepressants and psychiatric medications that may be linked to violent behavior. However, during a Senate Finance Committee hearing, Kennedy clarified that he did not attribute the shooting to antidepressants.

Authorities reported that the shooter had a fixation on previous mass shooters. Investigators discovered notebooks filled with violent thoughts and admiration for mass murderers, indicating severe mental instability. Experts have warned against associating mental health issues with gun violence, asserting that most individuals who commit violent acts do not have a history of mental illness. The NIH has stated that the majority of people with serious mental illnesses are not violent. However, mental illness is closely linked to an increased risk of suicide, which accounts for more than half of firearm-related deaths in the U.S.

The comments from the Trump administration come amid significant cuts to mental health programs across the federal government. Experts have expressed concern that these reductions will hinder the understanding and treatment of mental health issues. Hannah Wesolowski, chief advocacy officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), noted, "There's a lot happening, and there's a lot of change with not enough details to really know some of the potential impact that these changes could have."

In May, the Department of Education ended $1 billion in grants aimed at enhancing mental health services in schools, claiming the programs did not align with current administration priorities. These grants were part of President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, enacted after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Wesolowski stated that this decision leaves school districts struggling to find funding for mental health professionals.

The Department of Education has indicated it is working to strengthen mental health grant programs and will run a new competition to fund practitioners in local schools. Madi Biedermann, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications, stated, "This is a departure from the Biden Administration's implementation of the program that instead focused on illegally awarding grants based on the mental health professionals' race or sex."

Funding for mental health research has also faced cuts. In March, the Trump administration canceled several NIH grants related to LGBTQ+ and diversity, equity, and inclusion research, claiming they did not align with the administration's priorities. Estimates from the JAMA Network indicated that many of the terminated grants originated from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Wesolowski expressed concern about the NIH cuts, stating, "We still know far too little about the brain and the true causes of mental illness and what triggers mental illness and how best to treat it."

The White House has maintained that effective grants will remain in place, asserting that the cuts primarily affected DEI-focused grants. In March, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) was merged with other agencies to form the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), a move intended to save money and streamline resources. Ettman noted that changes in data access could impact public health research.

President Trump's 2026 budget proposal includes significant cuts to SAMHSA, suggesting a reduction of around $1 billion from its budget. The White House has characterized the proposal as a budget plan rather than a definitive cut. Additionally, HHS laid off over 10,000 employees in April, including a team overseeing a national survey on drug use and mental health that has been in operation since 1971.

Kennedy later indicated that some programs would be reinstated due to being mistakenly cut. However, SAMHSA has dialed back its Press 3 option, which provided specialized care for LGBTQ youth through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. David Stacey, Government Affairs Director for the Human Rights Campaign, expressed concern that the removal of this option would reduce the effectiveness of services for LGBTQ individuals.

Wesolowski criticized the elimination of the Press 3 option but acknowledged that the administration has proposed maintaining funding for the 988 program. An HHS spokesperson stated that the department is focused on streamlining resources to deliver essential mental health and substance use disorder services more effectively.

Concerns also arise regarding how cuts in the "One Big Beautiful Bill" tax and policy megabill could affect access to mental health resources. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill could reduce federal Medicaid spending by $1 trillion and increase the number of uninsured individuals to nearly 12 million by 2034 due to new work requirements. Ettman emphasized that Medicaid is the largest payer of mental health services in the U.S., and stricter eligibility requirements could adversely affect mental health access.

For those experiencing mental health crises, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7, providing free support from trained crisis counselors.