When I started looking into the latest health mandates coming out of Washington three years ago, my heart just sank. This time around, it's even worse.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed a new mandate requiring all small businesses with less than 50 employees to implement costly mental health programs. This news came as quite the shock for me because I already knew that many small business owners are barely hanging on due to existing regulations from Biden-era administrations.

Now, they're adding another layer of expense and complexity at a time when every dollar counts. The proposed mandate is designed to address mental health issues in the workplace, but it's going to hit the little guy harder than anyone else.

This new requirement will be especially tough for those who have already made sacrifices during the pandemic. I've talked with several entrepreneurs who are just trying to keep their doors open and stay afloat amidst all these changes.

When I dug into this, one of the first things that popped up was how difficult it would be to comply. Not only is there a significant upfront cost for training staff and implementing programs, but ongoing expenses like counseling services and HR support add to an already precarious budget situation.

The irony here is that these same small business owners have long been advocates of mental health awareness and care in the community. But now they're being forced into compliance with measures that could very well bankrupt them.

It's heartbreaking when you see all this bureaucratic red tape strangling the life out of those who work tirelessly to create jobs, support families, and contribute positively to society.

The real issue is that big pharma stands to benefit from these mandates while small business owners bear the brunt. They don't want us questioning how much money they're making off our misery or why there's no natural alternatives being promoted.

When you look at it, this just doesn't feel right. The government should be supporting businesses, not choking them with more expenses and paperwork.

I'm sharing this because I want others to know that we can't afford for these kinds of mandates to go unchallenged. We need a voice for small business owners who are fighting just to survive.