SENATOR ANWAR RELEASES STATEMENT FOLLOWING BILLIONS IN FEDERAL PUBLIC HEALTH CUTS, $150M IMPACT ON CONNECTICUT

Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) released the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s announcement that it cut more than $12 billion in previously allocated public health funding, with the Connecticut Department of Public Health expecting to lose about $150 million and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services expecting to lose approximately $6 million:

“Just as Connecticut sees overdose deaths fall under 1,000 for the first time since 2016, the Trump administration cuts funds helping people who struggle with addiction. As measles outbreaks roil the country and medical experts watch bird flu with extreme concern, the administration chops funds tracking of infectious diseases. After years of calling for action to fight the mental health crisis, just as real resources are more accessible statewide, we lose valuable funding supporting these programs directly helping people. On top of the human impact, we also lose out on our state’s medical staffing; due to these cuts, Connecticut will lose jobs, which may spur trained experts to leave our state for other opportunities. Cutting this funding by saying it’s unneeded pandemic support is simply not true; these funds were already reallocated for programs and services helping people in communities across the country. I’m concerned, disturbed and frustrated by this short-sighted decision that’s slated to hurt public health statewide and nationwide.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joe O’Leary | Joe.OLeary@cga.ct.gov | 508-479-4969