NAMI Survey Suggests Americans Oppose Cuts to Medicaid Across Party Lines

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The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) released the results of a recent poll that asked Americans how they felt about proposed cuts to Medicaid.¹ According to the results, Americans are broadly opposed to these cuts, with a majority of respondents from both major political parties saying funding for Medicaid should not be cut.

The polling also suggested that Medicaid is broadly popular amongst Americans, with respondents from both parties overwhelmingly saying that the program saves lives. The survey was conducted in the wake of news that Congress is considering cutting funding to Medicaid in its most recent budget proposal.

In a press release, NAMI chief executive officer Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., said, “We often hear that our country is divided on nearly everything—but this polling shows that, across party lines, Americans agree on two important priorities: protecting Medicaid and doing more to address mental health. We are facing a mental health crisis in our country, and the message from the American public is clear: they want our policymakers to do more, not less, to address it."

Gillison continued, “Medicaid saves lives—something NAMI advocates have been sharing directly with their elected officials for months. Congress should listen to their constituents and stand up for people with mental illness and their families by not advancing a budget that cuts Medicaid."

This is not the first time that NAMI has been critical of the current administration and its proposed actions. In late-March, the organization issued a statement criticizing plans by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reduce staff and make structural changes.² According to NAMI, these changes would have a negative impact on national efforts to combat mental health problems, suicide, and substance abuse.

In a press release issued at the time, Gillison said, “NAMI is deeply concerned by the proposed plans that would change the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as we know it and reduce our nation's capacity to improve care for people with mental illness. Having an agency focused on mental health and substance use conditions has elevated the national conversation and reduced stigma around these conditions. We fear that the changes proposed, along with cuts to other critically important HHS agencies, like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), could have disastrous implications for the tens of millions of Americans affected by mental illness."

In the same press release, NAMI’s chief advocacy officer Hannah Wesolowski added, “The work of the staff at SAMHSA saves lives. We welcome thoughtful exploration into ways to enhance SAMHSA's operations based on data that shows how changes will improve outcomes for people with mental illness. However, we cannot diminish the capacity or significance of SAMHSA and risk the progress we've made as a country in addressing our mental health crisis – a crisis that impacts nearly every family in every corner of our country."

SOURCES

1. Proposed Cuts to Medicaid Deeply Unpopular Across Party Lines, New NAMI-Ipsos Poll Finds. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). April 3, 2025. Accessed April 8, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/proposed-cuts-to-medicaid-deeply-unpopular-across-party-lines-new-nami-ipsos-poll-finds-302419102.html
2. Statement from NAMI Raises Concerns About Administration's Proposed HHS Overhaul. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). March 27, 2025. Accessed April 8, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/statement-from-nami-raises-concerns-about-administrations-proposed-hhs-overhaul-302413686.html