Trump administration launches Great American Recovery Initiative

President Trump signed an executive order to create the Great American Recovery Initiative, an effort to streamline the federal government’s response to the addiction crisis.

Executive order details: The cross-agency initiative will be led by Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kennedy and newly appointed senior adviser for addiction recovery Kathryn Burgum, both of whom are in long-term recovery. The order directs the initiative to:

• recommend steps to coordinate the federal government’s response to addiction;
• increase awareness of addiction, help Americans receive treatment, and foster a culture that celebrates recovery;
• advise agencies on how to implement programs that integrate prevention, early intervention, treatment, recovery support, and reentry;
• advise agencies on directing grants to support addiction recovery, with a focus on prevention, treatment, and long-term resilience; and
• consult with states, tribes, localities, community- and faith-based organizations, the private sector, and philanthropic entities on best strategies.

New programs announced: HHS announced several related programs and policies, including:

• The Safety Through Recovery, Engagement, and Evidence-based Treatment and Supports (STREETS) Initiative, a $100 million pilot that will fund targeted outreach, psychiatric care, medical stabilization, and crisis intervention, while connecting Americans experiencing homelessness and addiction to stable housing with a focus on long-term recovery and independence;
• A $10 million Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) grant program to support adults with serious mental illness through civil court-ordered, community-based outpatient mental health treatment;
• The addition of three medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD: methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone) as prevention services eligible for federal funding under Title IV-E, which supports families under the child welfare system. States and tribes can now receive a 50% federal match to provide MOUD to parents when children are at imminent risk of entering foster care but can remain safely in the home or in kinship placement with access to these treatments.
• Expanding funding for faith-based addiction treatment and services, with HHS Secretary Kennedy emphasizing that he wants to incorporate faith-based efforts and a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)/Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Dear Colleague letter emphasizing that both agencies welcome full participation from faith-based organizations in their grant programs and activities.

But:

• The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) already has a mandate almost identical to the new initiative, to coordinate across federal agencies for a whole-of-government approach to addressing addiction.
• It is unclear if there is new funding to carry out these initiatives.

Read more: Trump’s addiction initiative brings bold rhetoric but few details; Trumps signs executive order to combat substance use; Trump signs executive order on combating substance addiction