Federal funding for local mental health services abruptly cut

FINDLAY — Funding for youth and adult mental health programs in Hancock County — and for the new low-barrier shelter at City Mission — was abruptly terminated at midnight Wednesday, leaving local agencies scrambling to determine what to do next. Three local grants totaling around $1.5 million from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) were terminated. They include a children's mental health grant of $1 million per year for the System of Care initiative for youth, managed primarily by Family Resource Center; $500,000 per year for Project HOME, which funds the low-barrier shelter; and $189,000 in funding to FOCUS Recovery and Wellness Center. Tyler Layton, program director for City Mission of Findlay, wrote in an impact statement that they do not intend to close the low-barrier shelter, but will "urgently need" community support to keep the doors open. Precia Stuby, executive director of the Hancock County board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services, said she and her staff reached out in the "wee hours of the morning" to members of their board, federal representatives, Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn, the Hancock County commissioners, ADAMHS' state and national associations and the Hancock County prosecutor, who provides legal representation. What happened The National Council for Mental Wellbeing reported that, nationwide, some sources have estimated approximately 2,800 grants were cancelled, totaling more than $2 billion. "According to preliminary information we have received, it appears that SAMHSA programs that have not been impacted by these terminations include the State Opioid Response Grant, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic funding, and funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline," the National Council reported in a statement. Multiple organizations reported receiving emails after business hours Tuesday, informing them that the funding would end at midnight. "It was done with no warning … It is profoundly unkind and unprofessional to do business that way," Stuby said. She said there's an "appropriate" way to defund a program, and this is not it. A notification letter signed by Christopher D. Carroll, principal deputy assistant secretary of SAMHSA, gives as the reason that "SAMHSA may terminate a federal award, 'to the extent authorized by law, if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities.'" Carroll notes in the letter that SAMHSA has discretion to "suspend (rather than immediately terminate) an award to allow the recipient an opportunity to take appropriate corrective action before SAMHSA makes a termination decision," but "after review and consideration, no corrective action is possible here since no corrective action could align the award with current agency priorities." So, Stuby said, the agency made the decision to abruptly end the funding rather than give local groups time to prepare. "And we can't appeal it," she said. Details The financial impact to Hancock County is a loss of approximately $1.5 million in grants for the remaining nine months (through September 2026). Family Resource Center will see the largest decrease in funding, with a loss of approximately $600,000 for services to children, youth and families in need of behavioral health care. The ADAMHS board reports the City Mission will see a loss of approximately $270,000 this year for Project HOME: Low-Barrier Shelter, which provides emergency overnight shelter to unhoused individuals. Funds to support on-site mental health support provided by Family Resource Center were also terminated. "To prevent closure of the low-barrier shelter, funding from the community will be required," an ADAMHS press release states. The Children's Mental Health Initiative, which funded the System of Care and also had its funding cut, is intended to improve services and supports to youths involved in multiple systems, Stuby said. Local successes have centered around "developing those services and supports, not just within the mental health system, but also across other systems," Stuby said. This includes programs in leadership, prevention and evidence-based treatment, along with wellness coaches, among other programs. Brandeis University has been conducting research as the project goes on, which also will be cut along with the grant. "One of their overall findings for us is that, if we can get somebody to come in for services, they're likely to get better, you know?" Stuby said. "Which is a wonderful reflection of our entire system." Brooke Nissen, executive director of FOCUS, said the cut funding affected the organization's building communities of recovery plan, the purpose of which was to expand services to help individuals in recovery. Especially in early recovery, "they need that extra support," she said. Nissen said the organization found out at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. "There was no time to plan," she said. She spent Wednesday contacting leaders of state agencies and trying to get "individuals of influence … to hear our voice, to hear our advocacy efforts, to highlight this issue. "What I am fearful of is, we are ripping out direct services" abruptly, she said. "That's going to result in significant consequences." Nissen said the grant helped connect peers to resources including transportation and supplies for programming to help with coping skills. It also funded the Collegiate Recovery program for college-aged community members, as well as connecting people to one-on-one peer support. She noted that the funding supports FOCUS staffing, and if staffing is cut it might also affect other services FOCUS offers. Aftershocks Nationally, an estimated 1 in 4 individuals are impacted by addiction in their household and 1 in 5 by mental health, Stuby said. In recent years, the community has worked hard to address these needs and has seen some progress, but "the work is not done," she said. Talk to someone struggling with these issues and "the immediacy" of their need for this help is clear, she said. "It literally can be the difference between life and death," she said. She noted these funding cuts will cause disruptions in the lives of people already experiencing a lot of challenges, including children going through complicated situations. Zach Thomas, director of wellness and education at ADAMHS, said there will be ripple effects from "this type of action … taken indiscriminately (by) the federal government without regard to how it will impact the very lives of the people that live in our community." For example, if the low-barrier shelter were to close, its residents would be more likely to become involved in the criminal justice system or seek services at the emergency department of Blanchard Valley Hospital, he said. "It's not just the service that is being impacted," Thomas said. "It's the entire community. "ADAMHS is actively engaging with legislators at all levels of government — particularly at the federal level — to determine what remedies are possible to maintain funding and services," the agency's press release states. 'Don't give up hope' The treatment system still exists and is still helping people, Stuby said. "Don't give up hope," she said. With federal grants across the country being cut, "we're not alone," Stuby said. At the same time, "that makes us a small fish in a great big pond. "The most we can do is sound the alarm and link with others to try and get enough momentum to see if there's anything we can do to change the course of action," Stuby said. If not, the agencies affected by the grants will need to make cuts, and the specifics of those aren't clear yet, she said. "This is a time for everyone to exercise their opportunity to use their voice. ... The government belongs to all of us," Stuby said. "And if you are disappointed, don't support, think that a practice like this should be stopped, the way to stop it is to make sure that your legislators know that this is not acceptable behavior." Nissen, too, encouraged community members to volunteer, donate or advocate for these issues. "This is the time to step forward and really support our community," she said. "Because it is a community."