Behavioral Health Policy Trends for 2026: What It Means for Older Adults

Older Americans with mental health conditions face extraordinary policy turbulence characterized by substantial federal budget cuts, fundamental restructuring of key agencies, and widening state-by-state differences in behavioral health approaches. The landscape includes nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid reductions, the end of enhanced marketplace subsidies affecting millions of Americans, and a hollowed-out SAMHSA with half its former workforce. Simultaneously, critical debates unfold around mental health parity protections, administrative burden reduction, telehealth sustainability, and comprehensive health care reform. This report examines the major policy developments reshaping 2026 and offers practical guidance for older adult mental health advocacy organizations navigating these challenges.