Kennedy Commits $100 Million Toward Ending the Scourge of Addiction, Homelessness and Despair

By Adam Garrie, Contributor, The MAHA Report

On January 29, President Trump signed an executive order called Great American Recovery Initiative, focused on addiction. On February 2, in a move linked to the broader initiative, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. committed $100 million toward finding solutions for the drug addiction epidemic fueling America’s homeless crisis.

“Addiction begins in isolation and ends in reconnection,” Kennedy said. “Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, we are bringing Americans suffering from addiction out of the shadows and back into the community.”

In accordance with the executive order, the initiative will be co-chaired by Secretary Kennedy and Kathryn Burgum, First Lady of North Dakota who the president recently named a White House advisor for the Great American Recovery Initiative. (Burgum’s husband, Doug, is currently Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior.)

The new project will be at the forefront of the Trump administration’s comprehensive, coordinated federal response to the addiction crisis, treating substance use disorder as a treatable medical condition – and one piece of the chronic disease epidemic plaguing America. In addition to approaching addiction as a chronic condition, the initiative emphasizes proactive measures to raise national awareness about addiction as a disease, facilitate access to evidence-based treatment, and cultivate a supportive culture that openly celebrates recovery stories and resilience.

Kennedy, Burgum and their team will advise federal agencies on designing and implementing integrated programs that encompass prevention, early intervention, comprehensive treatment, ongoing recovery support, and successful re-entry into communities.

Secretary Kennedy also announced a $10 million Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) grant program for adults with serious mental illness who struggle in traditional care. By using civil court-ordered, community-based treatment, the program provides a safer alternative to homelessness, incarceration, and more restrictive institutional care.

Kennedy’s announcement coincides with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) first 2026 block grant, allocation of $794 million. This funding includes $319 million for community mental health services, supporting adults and children with serious conditions, and $475 million dedicated to the agency’s substance use programs.

According to HHS, “Substance use disorder — impairment caused by repeated use of alcohol or other drugs — among people ages 12 and older rose from 7.4% in 2019 to 16.8% in 2024 . . . Nearly 8 in 10 people with a substance use disorder in 2024 did not receive treatment.”

In addition to federal efforts, the initiative’s leadership has committed to actively consulting with a broad coalition of partners—including states, tribal nations, local governments, community-based and faith-based organizations, the private sector, and philanthropic groups.