KINGSTON — Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday that Trump administration cuts to New York state healthcare would have a devastating impact on vital programs.
Hochul’s office said the funding plan would result in the gutting of $360 million in financial resources toward mental health and addiction services and health departments across the state.
“Slashing funding for public health, suicide prevention and addiction services is just plain cruel, and it’s going to hurt everyday New Yorkers most,” Hochul said in a statement. “Here’s the sad truth: there is no State in the nation that has the resources to backfill these sweeping cuts. It’s up to New York’s elected officials who serve in the House majority to stand up and fight back.”
Dr. James McDonald, New York State Department of Health Commissioner, said the Trump administration cuts are shocking.
“It is disappointing these grants were terminated so impulsively without any advance notice and without consideration for the people we serve,” the commissioner said. “We were poorly prepared as a nation for the last pandemic. I see the same pattern occurring now, where decisions are made without consideration for the public’s health and well-being.”
Hochul’s office said, among other things, the Office of Mental Health expects to lose $27 million total in funding for programs and services for individuals experiencing mental health and/or substance use needs.
The governor said that the office of Addiction Services and Supports expects to lose $40 million total in funding, which will result in “significant cuts to addiction and prevention services, treatment supports and access to resources for individuals struggling with substance use.”
Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha, D-Esopus, said while Hochu is somewhat correct in her assessment, the state needs to do more.
“Governor Hochul is partially right that no state in the nation can backfill sweeping federal cuts, but the current (state) budget negotiations indicate that she does not take the threats seriously enough, nor is she eager to backfill potential cuts that New York is well-poised to,” Shrestha said in an email.
Shrestha said that the most recent cuts totaling $367 million “is alarming, the amount is more or less loose change for New York considering its vast GDP, the amount of money we have in reserves, and the billions we can easily raise by accepting the Assembly’s modest proposals to increase taxes on the rich, including large corporate profits.”
“Yes, our representatives in Congress must act to prevent further cuts, but the state should be equally prepared to protect New Yorkers from the impact of such cuts to its best ability,” Shrestha added. “Yet, not only has the Governor shown an unwillingness to make the rich pay their fair share and spend money where it’s needed, she has so far focused the budget negotiations on unrelated policy items that have no fiscal implications.”