Last summer, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that took away close to 2 billion dollars in funding designed to fix America’s homelessness crisis from any state that does not take criminal action against the homeless. The Trump administration wants states to arrest and incarcerate the homeless. And that’s a terrible idea.
Homelessness is not a criminal problem – those who live their lives on the streets most often are suffering from untreated mental illness. And the U.S. has not traditionally done well at taking care of the mentally ill.
According to former clinical and counseling psychologist Dr. Edmund Gordon, “We, as a country, are better equipped to oppress and control the people who need the most help rather than to help.”
According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, out of the estimated 771,480 unhoused people living in the US, 67% are dealing with some form of mental illness. Many of these people lack access to resources or the help needed to improve their mental health. A lack of mental support leads to higher criminalization rates and more hospitalizations, both of which will be paid for with tax revenue.
Even if mental health aid is cut for some states, the lack of care towards the mentally ill homeless population will, in turn, force Americans to spend more on emergency healthcare and criminalization.
The Associate Dean of Meaningful Engagement, Marie-Louise Miller, weighed in with her concerns about the long-term effects of drastic program cuts now. She said, “I am not a fan of the way things are rolling out at the federal level. I think they’re incredibly destructive, and I think rebuilding from this kind of internal destruction won’t take a year or two. It’ll take a long time.”
Homeless individuals experiencing mental health challenges often face barriers to receiving emergency care, while the cost of treatment can be high.
An advanced life emergency, or ALS, is classified as a level of emergency medical care provided by EMTs or paramedics. Patients who are in need of this service require intensive medical attention, including mental health-related issues. The total starting cost for this service is $1,463.
Senior Logan Dundas has been serving as a licensed Emergency Medical Technician since August 2025. Even in his short tenure, Dundas has firsthand experience with mental health-related calls. He offered insight into the cost of an ambulance being dispatched to a mental health-related event. He said, “ [An ambulance] can cost hundreds of dollars, maybe thousands. Of course, there are hospital bills. And of course, there is kind of an inherent price to having emergency medical services dispatched.”
There are also broader economic effects. Mental illness can hinder a person’s ability to maintain steady employment, which in turn reduces income and increases reliance on government assistance programs. This results in lower tax contributions by those individuals and higher public spending, further increasing the financial impact on society.
Cutting mental health funding does not eliminate costs. It shifts them into more expensive areas, increasing the total burden on taxpayers. Investing in early and consistent mental health care is not only more effective for individuals but also more efficient for American society as a whole from an economic standpoint.
