Gov. Evers Slams New Trump Administration Attempt to Recklessly Gut Over $210 Million for Wisconsin to Help Support Mental and Behavioral Health, Prevent Substance Abuse, and Strengthen Local EMS

Trump Administration plans to recklessly cut millions in already approved federal funding aimed at improving health and safety in communities across Wisconsin

MADISON - Gov. Tony Evers today slammed the latest move by President Donald Trump and the Trump Administration to recklessly gut funding Wisconsin expected to receive to help support mental and behavioral health services, prevent and respond to substance misuse and the opioid epidemic, bolster local public health, and strengthen local emergency medical services. This week, Gov. Evers’ administration received notice the Trump Administration plans to yank more than $210 million in federal funding from health services in Wisconsin that the state expected to receive.

The move comes as President Trump, the Trump Administration, and Republicans in the U.S. Congress continue threats to Medicaid and Social Security and make substantial cuts to federal programs and funding Wisconsin’s kids, families, farmers, veterans, and seniors depend on every day. Yesterday, President Trump and the Trump Administration announced that it is cutting 10,000 additional full-time employees at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in addition to thousands the Trump Administration has already forced out of work.

“Reckless cuts by President Trump and Elon Musk to help pay for tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires are causing devastating consequences for Wisconsin’s kids, families, and communities and services they depend on every day. The Trump Administration is gutting millions of investments for programs that are designed to help make Wisconsinites and our communities healthier and safer,” said Gov. Evers. “With threats to Medicaid and Medicare, cuts to researching cures for Alzheimer’s disease and cancer, efforts to undermine food and drug safety, and continued attacks on the Affordable Care Act, the Trump Administration is jeopardizing health and access to healthcare in Wisconsin and across our country.

“Making sure Wisconsinites can get the care they need when they need it has always been a top priority for me, and I will be exploring every legal option available to us to fight against these disastrous cuts to our state,” Gov. Evers concluded.

The Trump Administration intends to cut more than $210 million in federal funding aimed at supporting health services across Wisconsin that the state expected to receive, hurting counties, communities, and Tribal Nations statewide. Based on the information available at this time, the Evers Administration expects the Trump Administration’s latest cuts to negatively impact:

• The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline;
• 988 crisis county connection services;
• Local substance abuse prevention programs;
• Community health workers;
• Access to fentanyl test strip kits;
• Peer-run respites and recovery centers;
• Local public health departments and efforts to improve information infrastructure;
• Efforts to strengthen local EMS responses to local public health crises;
• Public health laboratories;
• Wisconsin Immunization Registry;
• Regional crisis stabilization facilities; and
• Other key priorities designed to improve health statewide.

An online version of this release is available here.