A few days ago, I spoke with “Lisa” who is a participant in a research study at the Yale School of Public Health.  Lisa, a New Haven resident, has spent almost five years on a subsidized housing waitlist.  Since losing her apartment early in the pandemic, Lisa has stayed on a relative’s couch anxiously awaiting rental assistance that would help her to afford her own apartment.  Unfortunately, such subsidies are in short supply. Fewer than one in four eligible households receive rental assistance and there are more than 40,000 individuals on the New Haven Housing Authority waitlists. Penelope Schlesinger When asked about the voucher a few days ago, Lisa said: “With this current administration, I’m not sure I want it anymore.” Even though she has hoped for years for rental assistance, she worries that if she does receive it, pending federal budget cuts could strip it away leaving her vulnerable to further instability or eviction. Lisa also has a chronic health condition and expressed concern about how recently threatened cuts to Medicaid could affect her health insurance and her access to the essential medication she relies on to manage her illness. This uncertainty is harmful. I have spent decades conducting qualitative research with low-income Connecticut residents, witnessing time and again how uncertainty particularly over housing, healthcare, and basic needs creates stress and undermines health. Research affirms what this personal account illustrates: economic insecurity fuels higher rates of depression, anxiety, and chronic illnesses like hypertension and diabetes. The long-term continuing resolution, passed by the U.S. Senate recently calls for billions of dollars in reductions to Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  These cuts would damage critical lifelines for millions of working families, students, and seniors.  But their impacts also extend far beyond the lowest-income households.  In light of recent and impending layoffs, many working and middle-class Americans are equally vulnerable to disruptions in healthcare access, food security, and housing stability. Like Lisa, many are facing daily uncertainty about their future economic security and access to resources, and are experiencing stress that will very likely have health impacts down the road. Public assistance programs were designed to support vulnerable individuals. For individuals like Lisa, their abrupt discontinuation or threats to that end create instability, breeding distress and worsening health outcomes. On a societal level, these cuts contribute to even greater strain on an already overburdened healthcare system. A strong and stable society flourishes when we prioritize security and opportunity for all. We must recognize that predictability, access, and a robust social safety net are essential. A government that fosters uncertainty is not just neglecting its duty; it is actively contributing to homelessness, hunger, and health crises. The concerns and experiences of people such as Lisa must be heard because they reflect the real consequences of policy choices being made right now. This budget shifts resources away from those who need them most. It is a calculated choice to deepen inequality, cutting critical programs that support economic mobility while preserving tax breaks for large corporations and the wealthiest Americans. If we are a nation that values stability, well-being, and opportunity, we must push back against changes that create further hardship. The cost of uncertainty is already too high. Penelope Schlesinger lives in Branford. ...read more read less