Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled a sweeping behavioral-health funding package Wednesday, directing more than $700 million toward programs targeting addiction, severe mental illness, suicide prevention, and homelessness.
The funding package includes a new grant program focused on helping communities move individuals from the streets into treatment, recovery, and long-term stability.
The announcement was made during Kennedy’s visit to the Easterseals MORC Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic in Clinton Township, Michigan.
Trump administration officials said the investment advances President Donald Trump’s Great American Recovery Initiative, which seeks to address the root causes of homelessness and improve access to treatment services nationwide.
At the center of the effort is the Safety Through Recovery, Engagement, and Evidence-based Treatment and Support program, known as STREETS.
Under the program, eight selected communities could receive as much as $12 million each over a four-year period, totaling $96 million, to develop coordinated systems for individuals experiencing homelessness while also struggling with substance abuse, serious mental illness, or co-occurring disorders.
“Through more than $700 million in new investments, we are advancing President Trump’s Great American Recovery Initiative and addressing the addiction and serious mental illness that fuel homelessness across America,” Kennedy said. “These investments will help move people from the streets into treatment and recovery, strengthen families, save lives, and make communities safer.”
Federal officials said grant recipients will be expected to build cross-sector partnerships that connect treatment providers, housing agencies, local governments, courts, and law enforcement into a unified response system.
Officials said the program is intended to replace fragmented approaches with a comprehensive model focused on recovery, self-sufficiency, and public safety.
Kennedy argued that addiction, homelessness, and mental illness should no longer be treated as separate issues.
“For too long, America has treated homelessness, mental illness and addiction as separate problems,” he said. “The reality is that these crises are deeply interconnected.”
Administration officials said communities receiving grants will be expected to demonstrate measurable progress and quickly implement services that help individuals access treatment and recovery resources.
The broader funding package includes $223.1 million for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, $238.6 million for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, $80 million for substance-use prevention, treatment, and recovery programs, and more than $70 million for mental health services and crisis-response initiatives.
The grants are designed to expand treatment access, strengthen local recovery efforts, and support vulnerable populations across the country.
During his remarks, Kennedy also highlighted the role of faith-based organizations in recovery efforts.
He said the administration intends to restore opportunities for such groups to participate in treatment and recovery initiatives, arguing that spiritual support has historically played an important role in helping individuals overcome addiction, according to The Hill.
Kennedy additionally criticized harm-reduction strategies promoted in recent years, including policies associated with needle exchanges and supervised drug-use programs.
He argued that treatment-centered approaches offer a more effective path toward recovery and long-term stability for individuals battling addiction.
Not everyone agreed with the administration’s characterization of the funding package.
Behavioral health experts interviewed by STAT News said many of the grants announced this week have existed for years and were previously authorized by Congress.
Some argued the funding should not be considered entirely new spending, though several welcomed the release of grant opportunities that had been delayed in recent months.
STAT also reported that some experts questioned whether funding for the STREETS initiative represents new federal spending or a reallocation of existing resources.
Others noted that homelessness affects only a portion of Americans struggling with addiction, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining support for treatment and recovery programs nationwide.
Kennedy said the administration’s approach centers on connecting individuals directly to treatment, recovery services, and long-term support rather than focusing primarily on harm-reduction strategies.
He argued that sustained recovery, stable housing, and community-based support systems offer the most effective path for helping individuals overcome addiction and rebuild their lives.
