American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Denounces Harmful Medicaid Cuts That Undermine Suicide Prevention Efforts

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 3, 2025) – The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the nation’s largest suicide prevention organization strongly denounces today’s action by Congress to enact deep cuts to Medicaid, jeopardizing access to mental health and substance use care for millions of Americans.

At a time of rising depression, anxiety, addiction, and suicidal crises, reducing access to care is dangerous and shortsighted. Medicaid is a lifeline for vulnerable populations, including youth, older adults, veterans, and low-income individuals, who rely on it for essential mental health and substance use services.

Roughly 40% of adults on Medicaid live with a mental health condition or substance use disorder. Research shows that access to services under Medicaid reduces suicide rates; cutting it will have the opposite effect. In 2023 alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) estimates that among the U.S. population 12.8 million people seriously considered suicide, and 1.5 million attempted. We cannot afford to limit access to care.

Provisions such as work requirements and increased cost-sharing will increase barriers to treatment, fuel unmet needs, and strain an already overwhelmed healthcare system.

AFSP urges lawmakers to reverse course and protect Medicaid access. Suicide prevention depends on robust, equitable access to mental and behavioral health care. We call on Congress to prioritize policies that expand – not restrict – lifesaving support.

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The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide, including those who have experienced a loss. AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health through public education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, with its Policy and Advocacy Office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and TikTok.