Health and social policy

Executive Order 13954: Saving Lives Through Increased Support for Mental- and Behavioral-Health Needs

President: Donald J. Trump

Created a Coronavirus Mental Health Working Group to coordinate federal suicide-prevention, substance-use and behavioral-health measures during the pandemic.

Status: In effect. Sources: Executive Order 13954 signed text · Federal Register executive order disposition table.

Is Executive Order 13954 still in effect? Yes. The October 3, 2020 order has not been revoked in the Federal Register disposition table. Its directions to use lawful grants and contracts for mental-health and suicide-prevention services have no sunset; completion of the working group’s report did not itself terminate those directions.

What does Executive Order 13954 do?

EO 13954 directed agencies to expand mental-health and behavioral-health support, telehealth and suicide-prevention coordination.

Later primary evidence reviewed September 24, 2026: SAMHSA published the Coronavirus Mental Health Working Group's report responding to this order, outlining coordination and service recommendations; publication does not prove each recommendation was implemented. Official source. The cited steps do not establish every downstream effect.

Administration position: Any policy rationale or projected benefit in the order is the administration’s position. This index record does not treat those claims as independently established facts.
SignedOctober 3, 2020
IssuerPresident Donald J. Trump
TermFirst presidential term

Before and after

Before the order

Federal agencies operated separate mental-health, suicide-prevention and telehealth programs.

After the order

SAMHSA published the Coronavirus Mental Health Working Group's report responding to this order, outlining coordination and service recommendations; publication does not prove each recommendation was implemented.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
PresidentSigned and issued the orderOctober 3, 2020
Named agencies and officialsCarry out directions specified in the orderAccording to the primary text

What happened next

Executive Order 13954 signed.

Later primary evidence reviewed: SAMHSA published the Coronavirus Mental Health Working Group's report responding to this order, outlining coordination and service recommendations; publication does not prove each recommendation was implemented.