July executive order continues to spur conversation about mental health hospitals

Posts also highlighted the impact of budget cuts on mental health care in Oklahoma and discussed difficulties accessing treatment.

In the past week, online conversations about mental health largely centered around treatment. Recent articles and social media posts circled back to President Donald Trump’s July executive order, which makes it easier for states to force unhoused people with mental health conditions into treatment programs. Commenters debated whether mental health hospitals could provide unhoused people with adequate resources. Plus, social media posts expressed concern about how federal budget cuts could impact mental health services in Oklahoma and highlighted a new report on mental health care across the country.

In light of these discussions, communicators may share mental health resources for unhoused people and recirculate general free and low-cost mental health services.

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What’s trending nationally in conversations about mental health

Recent articles and Facebook posts revived conversation about President Trump’s July executive order, which enables states to remove homeless encampments and force unhoused people with mental health conditions into treatment programs. Social media users supporting the executive order argued that involuntary hospitalization could benefit unhoused people by offering housing and medical care along with mental health treatment. Opponents expressed concern about abuse and neglect, which has happened in the past, and advocated for improving housing access instead.

On October 1, the mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma, announced that the city would be hit with $8 million in budget cuts to “critical mental health services and essential public safety programs.” Commenters on the mayor’s Facebook post overwhelmingly expressed alarm about the budget cuts. Some worried that residents could lose access to crisis response teams and the state’s Community Outreach Psychiatric Emergency ServicesS crisis hotline, and others wondered if the budget cuts would strain emergency rooms.

Last week, articles highlighted Mental Health America’s 2025 State of Mental Health in America report, which found that nearly a quarter of U.S. adults have experienced a mental health condition in the past year and that many people are struggling to access treatment. The report also ranked states according to rates of mental well-being and access to mental health care. In response to articles about the report, commenters expressed skepticism about the rankings. Many who said they were from the top-ranking states reported facing long wait times to see therapists and psychiatrists and that mental health treatment is too expensive.

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Recommendations for public health professionals

Each week, the Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. These helpful tips can be used when creating content, updating web and FAQ pages, and developing strategy for messaging about mental health.

Conversations about unhoused people and mental health provide an opportunity to share mental health services geared toward this population, including local outreach and crisis intervention programs and information about local shelters. Communicators may also want to share resources for friends and family members supporting people with mental health conditions who are unhoused or may become unhoused.

In response to concerns about accessing mental health treatment in Oklahoma and other states, communicators may want to share free and low-cost mental health resources, such as therapist directories, support groups, local mental health centers, SAMHSA’s National Helpline, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Messaging may also include resources tailored to specific communities your organization serves, such as those for undocumented people, the BIPOC-led Call BlackLine, the Indigenous-led StrongHearts Native Helpline, Trans Lifeline, and the LGBT National Help Center.