* Background is here if you need it. Veep, as they say, was a documentary…

A day after the Department of Health and Human Services implemented a late-night rollback of $2 billion in mental health and substance use funding, an administration official confirmed late Wednesday that the grants are now being restored.

The cancellation of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration funding had blindsided grantees and sent shock waves through organizations that provide anti-drug and mental health services.

About 2,000 grantees who rely on these funds to operate were informed by form letters Tuesday night that funding was being cut off, according to sources familiar with discussions. They were notified of the funding changes in letters that cite “non-alignment with SAMHSA priorities.”

The cutbacks primarily affected discretionary grant programs that often enjoy bipartisan support. President Donald Trump has supported them in the past, notably signing a wide-ranging 2018 opioid prevention and treatment law during his first term and its reauthorization just last month. […]

“My understanding is that there has been an intervention at the White House,” Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations ranking member Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis. “It might be a one-day issue.”

* Press release…

Today, House Appropriations Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro issued the following statement after Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. reinstated billions of dollars in Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants that he abruptly cancelled last night:

“After national outrage, Secretary Kennedy has bowed to public pressure and reinstated $2 billion in SAMHSA grants that save lives. These are cuts he should not have issued in the first place. He must be cautious when making decisions that will impact Americans’ health. Our policy must be thoughtful – not haphazard and chaotic. This episode has only created uncertainty and confusion for families and healthcare providers.

“I hope this reversal serves as a lesson learned. Congress holds the power of the purse, and the Secretary must follow the law.”

…Adding… NPR…

A Trump administration official has confirmed to NPR that sweeping cuts to mental health and addiction programs worth more than $2 billion are being reversed. […]

More than 2,000 organizations and grant recipients are being notified as quickly as possible, according to the source.

Public health advocates said their organizations were breathing a sigh of relief but were also alarmed and shaken.

“It was a day of panic across the country. People are deeply alarmed but hopeful that this money is being restored,” said Hannah Wesolowski with the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

“This speaks to the bipartisan support in Congress for mental health. We heard from offices on both sides of the political aisle who were working on this issue throughout the day,” she added.