NY Senator: New Policy Makes It Harder For Veterans To Get Mental Health Care, There Should Be No Cuts To Social Security

Editor’s note: Below, you can find New York Senator Gillibrand’s statements and letter from her virtual press conference on veteran mental health care and her in-person press conference with East Harlem elected officials to demand that there be no cuts to social security.  In New York alone, there are plans to close 2 social security offices.  Our article by the senator last week discussed plans to fire USDA employees and also included her request for answers about the plans for the Department of Education.  

GILLIBRAND CONDEMNS TRUMP POLICY MAKING IT HARDER FOR VETERANS TO GET MENTAL HEALTH CARE

Trump’s Indiscriminate, Haphazard Policies Are Once Again Hurting Americans 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference to highlight a Trump administration policy that is making it harder for veterans to receive mental health care.

On his first day in office, President Trump issued a memo demanding that federal employees return to in-person work. The order included VA mental health professionals, who often worked remotely as a way to reach patients in isolated rural areas. As a result, many VA psychiatrists and therapists are now forced to conduct sensitive telehealth appointments from crowded offices, compromising patient privacy and potentially violating ethics regulations and professional mental health care standards. Trump has additionally paused hiring for critical positions that support veteran mental health, including suicide crisis hotline responders, and plans to fire 80,000 VA staff by the end of the year. Gillibrand sent a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins urging him to work with President Trump to reevaluate return to office policies and ensure that veterans’ needs are being met.

“Veterans in need of mental health care deserve easily accessible treatment from qualified professionals with a guarantee of confidentiality. President Trump is making care harder to access, firing or otherwise driving off VA psychiatrists and therapists, and potentially violating privacy regulations,” said Senator Gillibrand. “We owe better to the people who have served our country. President Trump must reevaluate his poorly considered return to office order and implement policies that are in the best interests of our veterans and those who serve them.”  

The full text of Senator Gillibrand’s letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins is available here or below: 

Dear Secretary Collins,

I write to ask that you take immediate steps to reverse the damage caused to the provision of mental health care at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) due to the Trump Administration’s return to office order, which has jeopardized the ability for veterans to receive quality and confidential care. I also ask that you work to reverse the impact of cuts to the VA led by Elon Musk’s so-called ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ (DOGE) which has reduced the number of support staff, exacerbating the VA’s ability to provide care to some of the most vulnerable populations of veterans, including those in need of the VA’s Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), and sown chaos and confusion among veterans in need of care and VA staff alike.

As you know, on January 20, 2025, the Trump Administration issued memoranda to all agency and department heads to ‘terminate remote work arrangements’, allowing agencies and departments to make exemptions when necessary. Public reporting has shown that this policy change has now forced psychiatrists and other mental health professionals at the VA back to crowded work stations, forcing them to carry out therapy and other mental health services for veterans without the guarantee of privacy for their patients, potentially in violation of professional mental health care standards. This return to office order only increases the mental and emotional burden on veterans seeking care, who may require months or even years to develop a relationship with their mental health provider to privately discuss their conditions. Like any other patient, if our veterans feel that they cannot privately receive treatment, then they may withdraw from treatment altogether.

 Further, inhibiting the ability for mental health providers to carry out their duty to veterans – and moving them to work stations miles away – will only hurt our ability to retain these providers, at the expense of veterans in need of care. While the VA has made the correct decision in allowing VCL employees to continue remote work, Congress is also aware that cuts to probationary employees by DOGE have also led to the firing of some VCL staff tasked with responding to veterans suffering from a mental health crisis.

These changes by the Administration and Elon Musk have led to growing fear and anxiety among veterans and their families that they will not receive quality, timely, and private care. I urge you to work with President Trump to ensure that this chaos and confusion is remedied immediately.

Sincerely,

PROTECTING THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET: GILLIBRAND AND EAST HARLEM ELECTED OFFICIALS DEMAND NO CUTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY

NEW YORK, NY – Senator Gillibrand stood alongside East Harlem elected officials to urgently call on the Trump administration to protect Social Security after their repeated actions to cut back the agency and the critical services it provides. New York City is home to one of the largest senior populations living in poverty nationwide, and cuts to the agency will decimate the Social Security system and deny New Yorkers their hard-earned benefits.

“Social Security is a promise, not a political bargaining chip. The Trump Administration’s reckless efforts to undermine this vital program will have devastating consequences for millions of New Yorkers,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I urge the Trump Administration to safeguard this necessary lifeline and ensure Americans have access to services they rightfully deserve.”

“Food stamps (SNAP) and EBT systems are vital tools in the fight against hunger and food insecurity, in my district, the state, and in communities around our nation,” said Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). “These programs ensure millions of individuals and families can access nutritious food, while EBT provides a secure, efficient, and dignified way to access benefits. Beyond feeding families, SNAP has strengthened local economies by supporting grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and food retailers, and every dollar spent has generated economic growth. Additionally, EBT further enhances this impact by streamlining distribution, cutting administrative costs, and preventing fraud to ensure resources reach those who need them most. Donald Trump and Elon’s attempt to cut these essential programs are an attack on working families, seniors, and future generations. We will combat these reckless cuts and fight to protect and strengthen the safety net that millions rely on. American families deserve nothing less.”

Advertisement

“The assault on Social Security isn’t just a policy change; it’s a moral betrayal. It’s stealing dignity from those who earned it with decades of hard work. We won’t tolerate a system that sacrifices our elders and those with disabilities to pad bottom lines. This isn’t about numbers; it’s about human lives, about families facing impossible choices. We’re drawing a line. This is our promise: we will defend every penny, every benefit, every person who relies on Social Security, with every ounce of our strength. They will not dismantle this lifeline on our watch,” said Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs.

“Millions of low-income households, including thousands in my district, risk losing essential food assistance under the proposed House Republican cuts to SNAP,” said Councilwoman Diana Ayala. “These harmful reductions would endanger the health and stability of our community, creating long-term social and economic challenges. With the rising cost of living, many working families are already struggling to afford basic necessities, with some forced to work multiple jobs just to get by. Seniors living on fixed incomes face even greater hardship, as rising food and housing costs make it increasingly difficult for them to afford nutritious meals. Hunger affects a child’s ability to learn, makes it harder for job seekers to find employment, and places additional strain on individuals with disabilities. Programs like SNAP have played a crucial role in reducing food insecurity and supporting families in need. Now, as inflation continues to drive up costs, we must fight to protect this vital program and ensure that no one—whether a working parent, an older adult on a fixed income, or a person with disabilities—is left without the resources they need to survive.”

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has already announced plans to cut 7,000 staff, despite the fact that SSA staffing is already at a 50-year low, and there are historically long case backlogs. Now, the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” plans to limit phone support for seniors, forcing them to file certain claims online – a challenge for many older adults – or visit a Social Security Administration office in person, even though appointments for these visits can only be made over the phone. DOGE is simultaneously planning to shutter Social Security Administration offices across the country, including two in New York.

GILLIBRAND SLAMS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ATTEMPTS TO CLOSE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICES, LIMIT PHONE SUPPORT

So-Called “Department Of Government Efficiency” Listed 47 Social Security Administration Offices for Closure – Including 2 in New York

DOGE’s Attacks on the SSA Have Resulted in Skyrocketing Wait Times and Website Crashes

Trump Administration Official Claims That Only “Fraudsters” Would Complain About Missing Social Security Checks 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a press conference slamming the Trump administration’s plans to make it harder for seniors to access the Social Security benefits they have earned.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has already announced plans to cut 7,000 staff, despite the fact that SSA staffing is already at a 50-year low. Now, the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” plans to limit phone support for seniors, forcing them to file certain claims online – a challenge for many older adults – or visit a Social Security Administration office in person, even though appointments for these visits can only be made over the phone. DOGE is simultaneously planning to shutter Social Security Administration offices across the country, including two in New York. These changes will decimate the Social Security system and deny seniors their hard-earned benefits.

“President Trump and Elon Musk are playing games with your retirement,” said Senator Gillibrand. “They are cutting the phone services that seniors rely on to apply for benefits, firing staff, and closing down the field offices—including the White Plains and Poughkeepsie offices right here in New York—where seniors go for help. These changes mean that you may not get your checks in time to pay your bills and that there may not be anyone at your local Social Security office to turn to for help. This is a cut to benefits in everything but the name, and I will be doing everything in my power to stop it.”

Gillibrand was joined by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, State Senator Pat Fahy, Acting Director of the NYS Office for the Aging Greg Olsen, and Executive Director of the Association on Aging in New York Rebecca Preve.

“After a lifetime of paying into the system, Americans count on Social Security to be there when they need it,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “We won’t let the Trump administration—or an unelected billionaire—jeopardize access to a benefit New Yorkers have earned without a fight. I’m proud to stand side-by-side with Senator Gillibrand to stand up for our seniors and continue the fight to protect Social Security for generations to come.”

“DOGE’s plans to slash physical office capacity at SSA should be seen for what they are — part of a systematic effort to gut federal services and rob the American people so President Trump can provide more tax breaks for Elon Musk and his billionaire donors,” said Representative Paul Tonko. “These actions will lead to longer wait times over the phone and a reduced ability to accommodate in-person office visits, leaving millions of Americans unable to access the benefits they’ve earned. This attack on Social Security is just one more step in Trump and Musk’s cynical ploy to use the guise of ‘efficiency’ to dismantle the essential programs and services American families rely on.”

“Over four million New Yorkers rely on social security,” said State Senator Patricia Fahy. “This will put the lives of millions of aging and disabled Americans at risk, as well as their families. Many New Yorkers have worked hard and served their communities for decades, and are now living in constant fear of having their benefits cut by an unelected billionaire. As Chair of the Senate Disabilities Committee I will continue to work hard to ensure that disabled New Yorkers continue to have their needs met in order to live full and happy lives.”

“Cuts to Social Security threaten aging New Yorkers’ lives and livelihoods,” said New York Assemblymember Gabriella A. Romero. “These are people who’ve spent their adult lives working and making our communities great places to live – they’ve planted roots, raised families, and shaped our neighborhoods. The Trump administration has taken a chainsaw to essential federal programs and departments, and we can’t stand back and let families and aging New Yorkers pay the price. I’ll never back down from fighting for New Yorkers and the benefits they deserve.”

“Our seniors deserve easy, reliable access to their Social Security benefits without any unnecessary hurdles,” said Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy. “Forcing them to file claims online creates barriers for many who have limited internet access and digital literacy. We must protect phone and in-person services in order to ensure every senior gets the support they need.”

“Vulnerable New Yorkers and Americans are suffering from these callous and heartless choices,” said Albany County Legislature Chairwoman Joanne Cunningham. “There are immediate and dire consequences from these sorts of decisions made by those in power. Over and over again, we see that those who bear the heaviest burdens are the powerless. Plus, the pain is always felt across party lines. In Albany County, we will continue to ensure that services remain robust and available to all and that belief and hope don’t succumb to ideology and ignorance.”

“This is yet another short-sighted move by the Trump administration and DOGE that will be detrimental to the American people,” said Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan. “Americans work hard as they pay into Social Security, and they should be able to rely on their money to help keep food on the table, a roof over their head, and the lights and heat on. Limiting access to the Social Security Administration will be disastrous to older Americans living on fixed-incomes and I thank Senator Gillibrand for calling on the federal government to reverse course before those catastrophic impacts take hold.”

Banner Image: Senator Gillibrand with Rev. Al Sharpton. Image Credit – Sen. Gillibrand

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand