Today, families face an uncertain landscape for mental health services. The “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” passed on July 4, 2025 cuts Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion. This cut places more than 37 million children and adolescents who receive health care through Medicaid and CHIP at risk. Medicaid is the single largest provider of mental health services for young people and plays an irreplaceable role in ensuring that young people have access to quality care.
“Even before this legislation, families struggled to find accessible mental health care for their children, particularly in rural and urban communities,” said Dr. Annelle Primm, Senior Medical Director at The Steve Fund. “Now, with this level of funding loss, we expect hospital closures and cuts to school-based mental health programs — eliminating key lifelines for students who already face multiple systemic barriers to care.”
At the Steve Fund, we are deeply concerned by these cuts, but we remain steadfast in our mission. We will continue to partner with schools, families, and communities to make sure that our young people, especially the most vulnerable, are seen, supported, and not overlooked.
How do families handle these uncertain times?
These policy changes have far reaching implications, but as parents and caregivers we have immediate steps to take to care for ourselves and for our loved ones. For some, it may be challenging to navigate the current climate as we manage our own anxieties and stress while trying to maintain normalcy and stability for our children.
Striking a delicate balance
How can you model confidence in your ability to manage stressors while also modeling vulnerability and admitting when you are worried, angry, or concerned? How can you create space for your young people to express their opinions and worries — and then manage the anxiety those conversations may provoke in you? How can you start conversations and share your thoughts and concerns without projecting your worries onto them in a way that leaves them feeling less secure?
Together, as parents, caregivers and families, we can address these questions with the goal of providing you space to reflect and tools for moving forward in support of emotional well-being. The Steve Fund will continue to partner with schools, families, and communities to make sure that our young people, especially the most vulnerable, are seen, supported, and not overlooked. We have created a robust suite of resources to support you and your young people, including:
Family Corner Resources
- Taking Care of Ourselves as Parents in Uncertain Times
- Taking Care of Our Young People in Uncertain Times
- My Digital Sanctuary – resources for young people
- The Family Corner – resources for parents and caregivers
- Family Journals – support you and your young people in creative, discussion-based activities
- Back in School Toolkits – support you young person (and yourself) during the school year
- #MySafeSpace Campaign – join the campaign, share your story, and learn with others
