The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced $700 million in funds to support programs aimed at addressing mental health, substance use disorder and homelessness.
This includes $96 million in funding for the Safety Through Recovery, Engagement and Evidence-based Treatment and Supports (STREETS) program, which will be distributed through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (SAMHSA). The funding will go towards eight communities, which will receive up to $3 million a year for four years to develop care systems for individuals experiencing homelessness, have an SUD, serious mental illness or co-occurring condition.
”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. These investments will help move people from the streets into treatment and recovery, strengthen families, save lives, and make communities safer,” Robert Kennedy, HHS Secretary, said in a statement.
The funding will also include $223.1 million for the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). That breaks down to $117.1 million for CCBHC improvement and advancement grants, $94 million for CCBHC planning, development and implementation grants and $12 million for CCBHC state planning grants.
“Every community deserves access to effective behavioral health services that help people prevent addiction, achieve recovery, address mental health challenges, and respond to crises,” Christopher D. Carroll, principal deputy assistant secretary of SAMHSA, said. “Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics are a cornerstone of this effort, providing comprehensive, community-based care that helps people sustain recovery and rebuild their lives. Alongside initiatives like STREETS, they advance the goals of the Great American Recovery Initiative by connecting people to treatment, housing, and ongoing support that strengthen communities and save lives.”
The agency will also allocate $238.6 million for 988 and the suicide crisis lifeline, as well as $80 million for substance use prevention, treatment and recovery and $70 million for mental health services and supports.
Funding for behavioral health programs under the Trump administration has been uncertain. In January, SAMHSA abruptly terminated $2 billion in federal grants awarded for work in mental health and addiction treatment. However, the next day, the Trump administration reversed course and restored billions in funding. However, this left many providers cautious about relying on government funding as a major source of funding in the future.