DO BEHAVE PODCAST, EPISODE 1: SAMHSA BUDGET CUTS
In our inaugural episode, Psynchronous Communications, Inc. Founding Partner Kris Washington discusses cuts to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration Budget (SAMHSA) with behavioral health policy experts Nikki Soda, MS, and Andrew D. Kessler, JD.
On March 12, 2025, numerous reports indicated cuts of ten percent of SAMHSA’s staff. Cuts of 50 to 70 percent were projected. SAMHSA is the federal government’s central agency responsible for coordinating mental health and substance use disorder response. Among other responsibilities, the agency issues grants that directly fund treatment, conducts vital research, provides the overdose medication naloxone and training, and operates the nation’s 988 suicide hotline. Approximately one hour after recording this discussion, the New York Times reported that the Trump Administration was cutting billions of dollars in state health budgets, including cuts to SAMHSA and other recovery-supportive programs. While the long-term implications of these cuts may take time to come to light, reporting indicates immediate impacts to state programs and uncertainty about their ability to provide services.
Our Esteemed Guests:
Nikki Soda, MS
Executive Director of Sodas Consulting, a firm that helps behavioral healthcare and other organizations through government and community relations and strategic consulting services. Nikki formerly served as a senior leader at the National Association of Addiction Treatment Professionals (NAATP) and serves as Co-President of Treatment Professionals and Alumni Services (TPAS).
Learn more: https://sodasconsulting.com/
Andrew D. Kessler, JD
Principal of Slingshot Solutions, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in behavioral health policy. With 20 years of policy experience- and over a decade in behavioral health- Kessler is a fixture in circles that advocate for substance abuse treatment, prevention, recovery, and research. He collaborates frequently with congressional offices, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and other federal actors. He frequently contributes to Politico, The Hill, and Alcohol and Drug Abuse Weekly.
Learn more: https://www.slingshotsolutions.net/