Sacramento LGBT Center seeks emergency support after federal funding slash
Community organizations and county services have lost funding after the federal government began to cut $11 billion from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
On Tuesday, the Trump administration eliminated multiple agencies and laid off 10,000 workers with HHS, according to The Associated Press. These cuts have affected several programs in the region, including the Sacramento LGBT Community Center and county programs.
The nonprofit Sacramento LGBT Community Center is asking for community and government support after the cancellation of federal grants associated with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Mental Health Administration. The Sacramento LGBT Community Center used these funds for a substance use treatment program and its related services, including counseling and mental health services, according to a news release.
In the release, the Sacramento LGBT Center said they were notified on April 1 that all funding had been stopped March 24 with “no warning and no phase-out period.” These programs are crucial, especially as LGBT youth face a “mental health emergency” that has worsened by “hostile legislation, social stigma, and identity-based discrimination.”
David Heitstuman, the chief executive officer for the LGBT Community Center, said they are seeking emergency funding, support from the public and legislative action so the center can continue serving individuals at risk.
The Center is looking for ways to continue these services independently for the next three months. Heitstuman said staff are doing everything possible so their services won’t be cut off right away.
These cuts will leave some members of the LGBT community with no access to services described as critical, Heitstuman added. The Trevor Project found that in 2024 half of LGBT youth seeking mental health care could not access it. Additionally, the suicide rate for transgender and nonbinary youth jumped to 46% in the past year. Heitstuman said programs like the one they offer have shown to significantly lower suicide risk for youth.
Heitstuman said despite fear from the LGBT community with the Trump administration’s policies targeting transgender identity, the Center will continue to be a “safe, affirming space.”
“We at the Center are going to continue to fight. We are not going to be pre-compliance with orders that we believe see are unconstitutional, illegal and certainly unjust,” Heitstuman said. “We are going to continue to be that beacon of hope and safety for everyone.”
Cuts to county health services
Cuts to the CDC will eliminate programs within Sacramento County, according to a statement from Supervisor Patrick Kennedy’s office. Because of the elimination of several public health grants, the county will lose almost $27 million through 2026.
“Now the rug is being pulled out from under us,” Kennedy wrote. “Canceling this funding will negatively impact health programs that protect all of us from conditions such as COVID, H5N1, tuberculosis, and measles.”
These grants focused on rebuilding the county post-pandemic and addressing a “hollowed-out public health infrastructure and workforce,” Kennedy’s statement read. Specifically, these grants centered around COVID-19 recovery and preparation efforts for future health emergencies. The weight of these grants went to programs focused on addressing disparities in accessing healthcare and the rebuilding of public health infrastructure in the county.
“With public health threats on the rise, we need continued support for local health departments on the front line,” Kennedy wrote in a statement. “These cuts are a classic case of putting politics over sound public health policy. I fear they are only the beginning.”
