Leaders of organizations that provide mental health and addiction services are catching their breath after a whirlwind 24 hours.

The federal agency that helps fund them, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, sent letters to hundreds of them Tuesday night saying it was cutting off grant money for certain programs.

The cuts totaled about $2 billion dollars nationwide. Then last night, the government said it was reinstating the money.

Victory Programs is a Boston-based nonprofit that initially learned it was losing a $500,000 grant to test vulnerable populations for HIV and other diseases.

The organization’s president and chief executive officer, Sarah Porter, told WBUR’s All Things Considered host Lisa Mullins that she’s relieved the government reversed course, but that was only after a day that left her head spinning.

This segment aired on January 15, 2026.