2025 CJN August | Page 10

The Charlotte Jewish News- August 2025- Page 10

The Impact of the“ One Big Beautiful Bill Act”

By Howard Olshansky, JFS Executive Director

Congress recently passed legislation that threatens to devastate the most vulnerable members of our community— both locally and across the nation. The reconciliation bill, better known as the“ Big Beautiful Bill,” will result in hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians and millions of Americans losing access to healthcare coverage and other basic necessities.

At Jewish Family Services( JFS), we serve individuals and families who already face barriers to mental health care, food security, and economic stability. Many of the people who rely on our services are Medicaid recipients or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program( SNAP) beneficiaries. The deep cuts proposed in this bill directly undermine the lifelines that make our work possible— and that keep our clients safe, stable, and supported.

At the heart of the bill is a proposed $ 1 trillion cut to Medicaid. This would affect up to 17 million Americans, many of whom are individuals living with mental illness— a group that makes up a significant portion of Medicaid recipients. The National Alliance on Mental Illness( NAMI) stated that these cuts“ will make it significantly harder for people with mental illness to access, afford, and keep their mental health care.”

We are facing a future where therapy, medication, and crisis services— most of which are funded by Medicaid— could become unaffordable or disappear altogether. This isn’ t merely an inconvenience; it is a crisis with immediate consequences for people who rely on mental health support.

The bill also slashes support for SNAP, a vital lifeline for millions of low-income Americans. Food insecurity and financial instability are strongly linked to depression and anxiety. When families face hunger and stress, mental health doesn’ t just decline in theory— it breaks down in real homes, in real time.

In rural communities, where food insecurity is already a chronic issue, the projected $ 155 billion reduction in Medicaid funding over the next decade threatens the closure of local clinics and hospitals. Although a temporary $ 50 billion“ bridge fund” has been allocated to rural hospitals, the overall cuts far outweigh this short-term relief. The closure of these facilities— and the telehealth services many provide— will increase isolation and hardship, especially for seniors and people with disabilities.

Compounding the issue, the bill introduces new Medicaid work requirements and administrative hurdles, set to take effect in 2026. These requirements disproportionately impact people with serious mental illness, who may not be able to work or navigate complex bureaucratic systems. As a result, many will lose coverage— not for unwillingness to comply, but because the system becomes unmanageable. This leads to a devastating cycle: no therapy, no medication, no stability.

The American Hospital Association warns that such immediate overhauls will force hospitals to cut services or close behavioral health units. The American Civil Liberties Union( ACLU) has also raised the alarm, noting that Medicaid supports mental health and substance use services for more than 70 million people— services that will be jeopardized by these reductions.

People already living with mental illness now face the additional anxiety of losing health insurance, essential medications, and consistent care. Families, caregivers, and service providers— already under strain— are bracing for impact as safety nets are removed. Entire communities could unravel under the weight of these changes.

Mental health advocates are not giving up. NAMI’ s Protect Medicaid. Protect Mental Health campaign has generated more than 155,000 calls and emails urging Congress to reconsider. Grassroots organizing and legal challenges are underway, but even the most committed states will likely be unable to offset the enormous fiscal gap created by these federal cuts.

The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is more than a political moment— it marks a turning point in America’ s mental health landscape. It threatens to dismantle critical safety nets, destabilize access to food and healthcare, and erect barriers that leave millions more vulnerable. These effects aren’ t theoretical or distant. They are happening now.

Jewish Family Services Acknowledgements May & June 2025

Volunteers: Brian Ablitz, Jessica Alfandary, Marcia Arnholt, Mike Arnholt, Daniel Benjamin, Andrew Bernstein, Dan Coblenz, Jonathan Collman, Andrea Cronson, Julie Dermack, Elayne DeMaria, Joni Deutsch, Sheryl Effren, Jamie Fram, Rachel Friedman, Robert Friedman, Meredith Gartner, Marty Goldfarb, Blair Goldsmith, Richard Goldsmith, Joann Goldstein, Jennifer Golynsky, Judith Goodwin, Dee Gyorody, Gail Halverson, Rebecca Hockfield, Tara and Liat Hubara, Bob Jacobson, Jodie Joseph, Jennifer Koss, Stephanie Kreitman, Glenn Kunkes, Marcia Lampert, Eric Lerner, Lisa Levinson, Kim Levy, Adina Loewensteiner, Matt Luftglass, Susie Meier, Terry Meyers, Frada Mozenter, Barbara Rein, Nina Rose, Cindy Siesel, Stuart Singer, Lisa Somerson, Harry Sparks, Lauren Stark, Lorin Stiefel, Steve Teich, Gail Vogel, Nancy Wielunski, Bob Weinstein, Amanda Zaidman, Jeff Zaleon

Happy Anniversary Jeffrey and Lee Bierer Milton and Gene Ruth Poler Anita and Marvin Shapiro Paul and Lynn Edelstein David and Janet Lefkowitz Celia Solomon

Happy Birthday Barry Bobrow Rick and Marci Willenzik Carolyn Hennes Margi Goldstein Mark Perlin Stuart and Carolyn Hennes Elise Menaker Marvin and Anita Shapiro

In Appreciation of Holocaust Survivor Outreach Hanna Adler and Lauren Stark

In Honor of Rabbi Lexi Erdheim Zev Karp Sheryl Gerrard Bob Jacobson Larry and Dale Polsky Donald and Bobbi Bernstein Glenn and Stacey Eisenberg Matthew Gromet and Phyllis Schultz David and Janet Lefkowitz Michael and Robbie McGinley Marc and Mattye Silverman Judi Strause Alison Rusgo for being awarded a doctorate from Drexel University Alan and Madeline Aron

Live Laugh Give Volunteers: Amy Adler, Phoebe Augustine, Andrew Bernstein, Andrea Cronson, Peg Epstein, Kenaz Flores, Zach Fram, Jamie Fram, Rob Friedman, Rachel Friedman, Dave Gerrard, Scott Gilbert, Tamar Goldblatt, Noah Goldman, Blair Goldsmith, Blair Goldsmith, Stacy Gurewitz, Simon Hirschhorn, Rebecca Hockfield, Daniel Hofstein, Bob Jacobson, Judy Kaufmann, Jen Lahn, Marcia Lampert, Kevin Levine, Nick Lindley, Josh Loewensteiner, Adina Loewensteiner, Abby Meyer, Steve Meyer, Allie Michel, Jodi Michel, Alex Olinger, Elizabeth Olinger, Rachel Peterson, Samantha Saltzman, Merril Schenkel, Bridget Siesel, Cindy Siesel, Karen Silver, Celia Solomon, Liz Wahls, Rachel Yurko

Special Thanks: To JFS staff members for their assistance in making Live Laugh Give a huge success

Jewish Family Services Tributes May & June 2025

Haley Sklut Ben David Women of Temple Israel Dr. Aviva Stein Emily Russell

In Memory of Bob Abel Stuart and Ellen Fligel Irving Bienstock Paul and Lynn Edelstein Frieda Estroff Celia Solomon Leon Feldman Shelton and Ellen Goldstein Nadine Fox Myron and Lynn Slutsky Phil Garfinkle Alan and Lee Blumenthal Bea Gibbs Lisa Shporer Ethan & Michael Harris Helene Levine Florice Weiss Hersch Elliot and Stephanie Kreitman Allan Kleinman Ruth Cronson Moses Luski Ed and Roberta Bograd Eva Lubin Marx Paul and Lynn Edelstein Karl Mollin Stanley Greenspon Yuliya Mordukhovich Paul and Lynn Edelstein Mikhail and Alla Mogilevsky Marshall Rauch Myron and Lynn Slutsky George Rimler Arthur and Julie Lavitt

Hadassah Meal Preppies: Denise Abadi, Gabriel Allen, Donna Emerson, Sara Friedman, June Hirschmann, Paul Hirschmann, Penny Krieger, Judy Kaufmann, Judy Nascimento, Yvette Jacobson, MaryJane Rosenthal, Andrea Schewitz, Zachary Strasser

Bar Mitzvah Projects: Zev Karp food drive in honor of his bar mitzvah, Jered Dillhyon creating meal kits in honor of his bar mitzvah

Shalom Green: Thank to all Shalom Green volunteers for providing fresh produce to our pantry clients.

Food Pantry Donations: To our generous community: Thank you for continuing to donate to the food pantry. We continue to collect donations every other Wednesday at the portico entrance to the Blumenthal Center for Jewish Education Building on Shalom Park.

Daisy Shapiro-Rieke Melva Hanna and Tracy Hanna Hewett The Independent Picture House- Claire Lechtenberg Charlotte Mecklenburg Library- Megan Millea David Drum and Lisa Porter Brad Ritter Fred Shporer Lisa Shporer Judy Tager Stanley Greenspon Roz Wachman Geoff and Vicki Caccamo Jerry and Myra Goodman Arnold Zulman Andrew and Julie Dermack Jim and Cindi Harris

Mazel Tov Ann Baumgarten & Eddie Traylor on the birth of their granddaughter Leonard and Karen Fox