Update on federal grants termination

Washington State Health Care Authority sent this bulletin at 04/03/2025 11:05 AM PDT

April 3, 2025

Providers, don’t forget! Our mailing list revisions are complete. Update your subscriptions to get the information you need.

Update on federal grants termination

As you may be aware, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) was notified by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) March 24, 2025, that four behavioral health grants were terminated immediately—six months earlier than funding period authorized by Congress. These grants have provided critical funding for behavioral health services across Washington State in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting individuals with serious mental illness and substance use disorders.

We recognize the significant impact this funding loss will have on behavioral health providers, community organizations, and the individuals they serve. HCA is assessing the situation and exploring potential solutions. Our priority is to minimize disruption to essential behavioral health services and to advocate for sustainable funding for Washington’s most vulnerable populations.

In response to these sudden grant terminations, on April 1, 2025, Washington State joined a coalition of 24 other states in filing suit to ask a federal court to order that the Department of Health and Human Services release the funds. You can read more about the legal case here.

We recognize that this affects the important work you do and the communities you serve, and we want to be as transparent and supportive as possible as we navigate this together.

While we may not have all the answers today, we want you to know we are listening. If there are specific concerns or challenges you anticipate, we want to hear them so we can factor them into our planning.

We truly value your work and the impact it has on the people who rely on these services. We will continue to provide updates as soon as we have more clarity. In the meantime, if you have questions or need to share concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out at DBHRBlockGrant@hca.wa.gov. We appreciate your patience and partnership as we work through this challenging situation together.

We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.

Can’t access the links? Add “lnks.gd” to the allowlist of your content blocking software.

About the Health Care Authority (HCA)

Functioning as both the state's largest health care purchaser and its behavioral health authority, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is a leader in ensuring Washington residents have the opportunity to be as healthy as possible.

There are three pillars of our work: Apple Health (Medicaid); the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) and School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) programs; and behavioral health and recovery. Under these pillars, HCA purchases health care, including behavioral health treatment for more than 2.7 million Washington residents and provides behavioral health prevention, crisis, and recovery supports to all Washington residents.

Please do not reply directly to this message. For more information, visit the HCA website, where you'll also find contact information.

Disclosure notice

All messages we send via GovDelivery are subject to public disclosure, as are the names and email addresses of those who sign up for email notifications.

Nondiscrimination

The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) complies with all applicable federal and Washington state civil rights laws and is committed to providing equal access to our services. Visit HCA’s website to view complete nondiscrimination statements.