Testimony of 2025-04-09
Portions of the Letter to my Congressperson
To my senators and member of House of Representatives,
If you can’t read anything else, read this
I can attest to the critical need for the research the President is defunding. This research has the potential to prevent future sufferers from facing the devastating consequences of mental illness, such as incarceration and homelessness. You, as members of the government, have a responsibility to advocate for the reinstatement and continued funding of this vital research. It is essential to the well-being and stability of our society.
Who am I?
I am not a policy-maker, I am not an economist, and I am not a supreme court judge. In a daily basis, I go to school, go through the daily grind, and later, my friends and I discuss the small things: me and my friend’s new favorite song - Pookie’s Requiem, why some dogs bite people, or what we want to do after graduation. On April 8th 2025, I felt a calling, one that requires discussions of bigger matters. Once I realized the administration was cutting research funds to NIH and SAMHSA, I knew I had to do something. If money is being taken away from the researchers, where is it going towards? Towards the people keeping innocent lives in prison? Towards pumping oil out of our earth and burning coal polluting the air that reduces our earth’s lifespan? I believe that our actions have an impact on our soul, and when you are not proactive, your soul will suffer the consequences, because I believe humans are all connected. Once one person suffers, others suffer with them. The cycle of suffering continues throughout the generations and through the community.
This needs improving
Medical research still needs to be done, not only on finding better medications (…), but also in several other disciplines like philosophy, social work, architecture, and psychology. Researchers in these disciplines could provide valuable contributions to how mental illness is understood and treated. (…) There are many who are in prison or homeless who were shunned from and degraded by society who aren’t treated by medications or with kindness and would benefit from the research I am asking for.
Closure
We must understand and support those who are suffering from mental illness, a lethal condition that could one day affect someone you love, be it a friend, parent, child, or partner. If you choose inaction, know I will continue to fight from behind a veil for justice for those who are labeled ‘disabled’, neglected, and deprived of the community they need to thrive. An individual’s smallest action can echo across centuries. The question is: will you remain passive and let your world suffer, or will you make a dent in our timeline and uphold the mission enshrined in our Constitution?
Update (2025-05-17):
Response to my letter from senator
Thank you for contacting my office about supporting mental health services and programs.
On March 26, 2025, the Trump Administration and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the cancellation of more than $1 billion in federal grants awarded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that would be used to provide mental health services, support addiction treatment and conduct preventative awareness campaigns. This funding cut was also paired with the firing of thousands of HHS employees.
On April 3, 2025, I demanded Secretary Kennedy rescind this decision or prove that these cuts in federal funding and workforce won’t negatively impact my constituents who rely on mental health services. I am all for finding ways to make our government more efficient and spending tax dollars wisely - I even wrote a bipartisan bill to prevent wasteful Medicaid payments - but this isn’t the way to do it.
Over 84.5 million Americans struggle with a mental health condition or substance use disorder, and we cannot cut resources these individuals need to thrive. Last year alone, SAMHSA distributed over $6.9 billion in grants to fight the opioid epidemic, end suicide deaths and transform the lives of countless Americans facing substance use disorder and mental illness.
Ensuring folks have access to mental health resources includes having enough mental health professionals to meet our needs, especially in rural areas, where it is often difficult or impossible to find help. The current shortage of mental health professionals and resources has already led to an increase in mental-health-related emergency calls over recent years. Meeting this need includes ensuring we have an effective and humane way to address this increase in mental-health related emergency calls while also keeping our community safe - not cutting these crucial resources.
Update (2024-05-17)
“Wow, what a beautiful, forceful, and moving testimony. Thank you (and thank Silvy) for sharing it. P.S. If it feels appropriate, could we ask Silvy if we could share it with the former Division Director at NIMH (…)? And would she be willing to share it with others who have a lived experience (with mental illness)? There is a lot of wisdom in her descriptions.” - Head of a Psychiatry department who wrote to someone I know
Update (2025-04-28)
“I received a request today from a colleague who was asking for the following:
- I’m writing the chapter of a SAMHSA-sponsored brief (…) that’s intended for an audience of clinicians, program directors, and administrators. Do you think that would be possible? (This is regarding me and others who wrote to the government) giving them a quote). I would only identify them by their first name (…) or even just the state. (Would Silvy), be willing to Share a quote from her testimony?” - Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry