HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Announces $100M STREETS Pilot for Homelessness and Addiction
HHS will invest $100 million in the STREETS pilot across eight cities under the Great American Recovery Initiative.
The GuardianRFK Jr announces $100m in grants to address homelessness and substance use
PBS NewsHourWATCH: RFK Jr. and others launch new addiction and homelessness initiative
Associated PressHHS unveils program to address homelessness and addiction, part of a set of new initiatives
Washington ExaminerRFK Jr. announces $100 million investment in addiction recovery
NewsmaxHHS Program to Address Homelessness, Addiction
Overview
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced HHS will devote $100 million to the STREETS pilot addressing homelessness and substance use in eight cities, he said at a SAMHSA Prevention Day event.
The program, STREETS (Safety Through Recovery, Engagement and Evidence-Based Treatment and Supports), builds on President Donald Trump’s Great American Recovery Initiative to better align federal addiction resources.
HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said the department is "focused on reform" and will expand eligibility for faith-based organizations and give states more flexibility in using federal health funding for substance abuse treatment.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has cut about one-third of its roughly 900 employees over the past year and briefly lost then regained $2 billion in grant funding, creating uncertainty, advocates said.
Regina LaBelle and other advocates warned the program’s impact depends on which eight cities are chosen and on implementation details, even as Kennedy and his cousin Patrick Kennedy promoted bipartisan collaboration on recovery policy.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a mixed-policy move: reporting the HHS $100M pilot and faith-based eligibility but quickly foregrounding administration-created instability. Language like "whiplash-inducing reversal" and phrases about "uncertainty, fear and logistical challenges," plus prioritizing provider critiques (layoffs, grant flip-flop) create a cautious, skeptical narrative.
FAQ
STREETS stands for Safety Through Recovery, Engagement and Evidence-Based Treatment and Supports. It aims to address homelessness and substance use disorders through psychiatric care, medical stabilization, crisis intervention, and aligned federal addiction resources under the Great American Recovery Initiative.[3]
The specific eight cities for the STREETS pilot have not been announced yet. Advocates note that the program's impact will depend on city selection and implementation details.
SAMHSA has cut about one-third of its roughly 900 employees over the past year and briefly lost then regained $2 billion in grant funding, leading to uncertainty among advocates.
HHS is expanding eligibility for faith-based organizations and providing states more flexibility in using federal health funding for substance abuse treatment, as part of a reform focus.
The Great American Recovery Initiative is President Donald Trump’s program that the STREETS pilot builds upon to better align federal addiction resources for recovery efforts.