Art Kleinschmidt, who was serving as the de facto head of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has left the role.

The details:

He had led SAMHSA since early April, presiding over the agency as it underwent cuts to its staff and programming, though his role in those cuts is unclear.
Kleinschmidt has accepted a new role at the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Health Security.

The bigger picture: Kleinschmidt’s departure highlights the lack of high-ranking Trump administration officials serving in key addiction, mental health, and drug policy roles.

Despite being in office for nearly a year, the Trump administration has not moved to nominate a SAMHSA administrator, leaving Kleinschmidt as the agency’s top official despite his title as principal deputy assistant.
The Senate has not yet confirmed Sara Carter Bailey, the former Fox News journalist nominated to lead the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

Next steps: Chris Carroll, who has served at SAMHSA since 2024, now will be principal deputy assistant, placing him atop the agency.