Psychiatry organizations have joined other public health groups in calling for the removal of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary. The Southern California Psychiatry Society, representing more than 1,000 clinicians, and the Committee to Protect Public Mental Health have released statements saying that the actions of the Department of Health and Human Services leader have increased stigma, instilled fear, and hurt access to mental health and addiction care. The Committee to Protect Public Mental Health stated: “As physicians committed to evidence-based care, we are alarmed by the direction of HHS under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.”
The organizations point to tangible harms from recent federal actions. Dr. Steven Sharfstein, a past president of the American Psychiatric Association, notes that the federal government had taken a leading role in funding efforts to address serious mental illness and substance use through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administrations (SAMHSA). Progress had been made—“there’s been great progress in reducing the number of overdose deaths in the country as a result of these initiatives,” Sharfstein says. However, firing of SAMHSA staff earlier this year and efforts to shutter the agency have reversed this progress.
Concerns About Psychiatric Medications
Both organizations are concerned about the health secretary’s attacks on psychiatric medications, particularly in the Make Our Children Healthy Again strategy. Dr. Emily Wood, co-chair of the Southern California Psychiatric Association, said the report “specifically misrepresents the data on psychotropic medications, really ignoring the full body of the scientific literature.” The report calls for ways to limit access to psychiatric medications described as “extremely disturbing as these are medications that are critical for many individuals with depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, ADHD and many disorders.”
The Southern California Psychiatric Association stated: “This misrepresentation increases stigma, spreads fear, and can keep people from reaching out for help when they need it most.” Dr. Eric Rafla-Yuan, a psychiatrist and Committee member, noted: “RFK Jr. is trying to eliminate the federal agency that is responsible for supporting states and localities with overdose prevention. This is exactly opposite of the direction that we need to be going.”
Sharfstein also expressed concern about Medicaid cuts’ impact on people with serious mental illness. Nearly 6% of American adults live with serious mental illness, and because these conditions are debilitating, patients “can’t afford the medications” and rely on Medicaid for medication, outpatient treatment, and acute inpatient care. As cuts to Medicaid roll out, access to mental health and addiction care will become “compromised,” with a “rolling crisis” likely to occur.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/10/06/nx-s1-5559217/rfk-jr-mental-health-substance-abuse-ssri