HHS Launches Plan to Curb Psychiatric Overprescribing and Promote Antidepressant Tapering

The US Department of Health and Human Services announced an action plan in May 2026 aimed at curbing what it calls psychiatric overprescribing and promoting deprescribing guidance for patients on psychiatric medications.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the initiative, which focuses on helping patients safely reduce or discontinue Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and other psychiatric drugs. The plan includes new training for providers, updated clinical guidance, and changes to insurance billing to support tapering.

The American Psychiatric Association responded with a mixed reaction. Its president, Dr. Theresa Miskimen Rivera, said the organization supports better training for safe prescribing and weaning. But she called blaming the mental health crisis solely on overmedicalization an "oversimplification" that overlooks the broader problem of limited access to comprehensive care.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention pushed back more directly. The organization cited strong scientific evidence for SSRIs in treating depression and suicidality, warning that discouraging their use could put vulnerable patients at risk.

The backdrop to the debate is a mental health system under strain. A West Health-Gallup survey from December 2025 found that only 29% of US adults rated their mental health as "excellent," down from 43% before the pandemic. That decline has persisted despite record levels of mental health treatment, public engagement, and spending, including $61.4 billion in state mental health spending in 2024.

The self-help book market is projected to grow more than 7% annually through 2030, reflecting growing demand for resources outside the formal treatment system.

Psychiatric Times has designated May 2026 as a focus month for psychedelics, following FDA fast-track approvals for psychedelic therapies for certain mental health conditions.