Issued by the National Association of Black Counselors (NABC)
Date: July 2025
The National Association of Black Counselors (NABC) strongly opposes the One Big Beautiful Bill Act now signed into law by the 119th Congress. Despite its title, this legislation represents a dangerous and regressive shift in national priorities. It dismantles critical supports for vulnerable populations and undermines the ability of counselors to provide equitable, accessible, and culturally responsive care.
This law will have devastating consequences for the Black community, the mental health field, and the broader network of social service providers who serve our most at risk populations.
Why This Law Is Harmful
Severe Cuts to Mental Health and Social Services
The law imposes sweeping restrictions and funding reductions across Medicaid, SNAP, CHIP, and public health infrastructure. These changes include:
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Increased eligibility redeterminations and verification requirements
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The rollback of retroactive Medicaid coverage
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Work requirements for food assistance
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Prohibitions on gender affirming care for minors
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Cuts to long term care facility staffing requirements
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Reduction in administrative cost sharing with states
These provisions will create instability for clients, reduce access to care, and worsen mental health conditions among already marginalized groups.
Disproportionate Impact on Black Communities
This law will hit Black communities the hardest—communities that already face systemic barriers to care, employment, and education. The changes will:
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Push more Black families into food insecurity
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Limit access to affordable healthcare
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Cut funding for environmental and climate justice initiatives
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Curtail educational supports like Pell Grants and loan forgiveness
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Undermine community based health programs that serve Black youth, elders, and LGBTQIA+ individuals
By removing the safety net for millions of Americans, this law deepens the racial and economic disparities we have worked for decades to dismantle.
Damage to the Counseling Profession
The One Big Beautiful Bill also directly harms the counseling field through:
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Elimination of Public Service Loan Forgiveness, a key support for counselors serving high need communities
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Reduced funding for training, education, and workforce development programs
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Increased strain on providers as more clients face crisis without stable coverage
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Further institutionalization of barriers that keep Black professionals from entering and sustaining careers in mental health care
Counselors will be expected to do more with less, and the communities we serve will suffer the consequences.
Economic Consequences for Black Communities
The law’s economic provisions including the rollback of clean energy credits, small business incentives, and workforce protections limit job opportunities and investment in underserved areas. This legislation makes it harder for Black communities to access pathways to upward mobility and intergenerational wealth.
Our Position and Our Call to Action
The National Association of Black Counselors condemns this law as harmful, inequitable, and morally unacceptable. We are committed to advocating for the repeal of its most damaging provisions and to protecting the rights, dignity, and well-being of Black individuals and families across the nation.
We urge counselors, mental health professionals, and community members to:
Raise Awareness – Educate clients, communities, and colleagues about the implications of this law
Advocate for Change – Contact state and federal officials to demand protective measures and reversals
Support Local Providers – Invest in Black led clinics and mental health organizations serving vulnerable populations
Organize – Join with advocacy networks to mobilize resistance and build long term community resilience
Our Commitment
NABC will continue to stand on the front lines of justice, equity, and access. We reject any policy that strips communities of their right to care, to education, and to safe, healthy futures.
We call on all mental health professionals, educators, lawmakers, and advocates to join us in rejecting the harm caused by the One Big Beautiful Bill.
In solidarity,
The National Association of Black Counselors (NABC)
