RFK Jr announces $100m in grants to address homelessness and substance use

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the son of former US President John F. Kennedy, has announced $100 million in grants for a new pilot program aimed at addressing homelessness and substance abuse recovery in eight major cities across the US. The initiative, called Streets, will be managed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the Department of Health and Human Services.

Kennedy's remarks came on Monday during an event marking "Prevention Day" at SAMHSA, where he emphasized the need for a coordinated approach to addressing homelessness and addiction. He noted that the current system often fails to provide long-term recovery by sending individuals with severe mental illness and addiction between shelters, emergency rooms, hospitals, and jails without giving them adequate support.

Kennedy pointed out that this cycle of instability is neither humane nor effective in helping people overcome their struggles. Instead, he advocated for an approach that prioritizes early intervention, integrated care systems, and provides a comprehensive range of services such as sober housing, employment, and community reconnection.

The pilot program will focus on eight specific communities, where SAMHSA and local organizations will work together to provide coordinated care and support. Kennedy emphasized the importance of reconnecting individuals with their communities and providing stability in order to overcome addiction.

He also highlighted the role that faith-based recovery organizations can play in addressing this issue, as they often provide critical support and connection to community for those struggling with addiction. The new initiative aims to increase partnerships between SAMHSA and these organizations to help people reestablish their connections to community and achieve long-term recovery.

The announcement comes after a tumultuous period for the Trump administration's approach to addiction treatment. Last month, the administration abruptly canceled $2 billion in grant funding for mental health and substance abuse programs, only to reinstate it following bipartisan backlash in Congress. The move was seen as an attempt to address criticism about the administration's handling of the issue.

Kennedy's new initiative marks a significant shift towards addressing homelessness and addiction from a more comprehensive approach that prioritizes integrated care systems and community reconnection.

Man, this is a huge deal! Kennedy Jr. is like, totally taking on the system with his $100 million grant thingy. I'm all about it, you know? We need to start tackling homelessness and addiction from a different angle. The current setup is just sending people around in circles without giving them the support they need. It's time for some real change.

I love that he's emphasizing early intervention and integrated care systems. That makes total sense. And sober housing, employment, and community reconnection? Yeah, let's get those things going ASAP! We can't keep treating people like they're not even human beings. They deserve better than to be shuffled around between shelters, ERs, hospitals, and jails.

Kennedy Jr.'s also highlighting the importance of faith-based recovery organizations. I'm no expert, but it seems like that's a pretty effective way to get people connected with their communities again. And by increasing partnerships between SAMHSA and these orgs, we might actually see some real progress here.

just heard about this $100 million grant what's really cool is that they're focusing on community reconnection, like getting people back into their neighborhoods and communities it's not just about throwing money at the problem, but actually trying to address the root causes of addiction and homelessness. plus, having faith-based recovery orgs involved is a great move it shows that they're willing to listen and adapt to what works best for these communities. can't wait to see how this pilot program goes and if it makes a real difference in people's lives

omg u gotta read this robert f kennedy jr just dropped $100 mil in grants 4 a pilot program aimed at tackling homelessness & substance abuse recovery in major cities across the usa its called streets & samhsa is gonna manage it he's all about integrated care systems & community reconnection which makes total sense tbh our current system is whack & sends ppl between shelters, hospitals, and jails without giving them a chance at real recovery u feel? faith-based orgs can also make a huge difference in supporting people with addiction so yeah lets get on board w/ this initiative

omg I'm so surprised he's doing this!! $100 million is like, crazy I think it's about time we do something different in our approach to addiction & homelessness tho... my cousin's friend struggled with both for years and just got lost in the system he finally found his way through a non-profit that helped him get housing & job training it worked! Maybe this new initiative will be more effective than what we've tried so far

I'm not sure if this is just a bunch of feel-good money being thrown around, but $100 million might be a drop in the bucket for the serious problem we're talking about here . We need to start asking ourselves why the Trump admin was so quick to cancel funding and then reinstate it - what's going on behind the scenes? Is this just a PR stunt or is there actually some substance (no pun intended) being brought to the table?

And what about the faith-based recovery orgs that Kennedy mentioned? Are we really gonna rely on private organizations to fix our public health crisis? It's like we're playing a game of "spot the bailout" - where do the real dollars go? The streets need action, not just words .

I mean, can you even believe what's going on with homelessness and substance abuse in this country? Like, we need a $100 million grant to figure out how to help people get their lives back together? I'm all for it though, because honestly, the system is broken . We're sending people around like they're nothing more than pawns in a game, without even giving them a chance to recover. And then we wonder why we've got such a big problem on our hands.

I love that Robert F. Kennedy Jr is stepping up and trying to make a change. It's about time someone took a leadership role on this issue. We need more people like him who care, you know? And yeah, I'm all for partnering with faith-based recovery organizations too - they do some amazing work in the community.

But seriously, we've got to do better than just throwing money at the problem. We need real, sustainable solutions that tackle the root causes of addiction and homelessness. It's not rocket science, but it does seem like a lot of people are too scared or too apathetic to make some real changes .

I'm not sure if $100 million is gonna make a huge difference, but it's a start, right? I mean, they're putting resources into the pilot program which is cool, but what about the long-term commitment to making these communities change their approach on homelessness and addiction? We need more than just grants to tackle this issue. And what about the faith-based recovery organizations? They've been doing this work for years and it's great that they're being recognized now. Maybe we can learn from them and scale up their efforts.

this is about time someone with actual money and influence steps up to help those in need, its like they were just waiting for the gov to do it lol I'm all for this Streets program, especially if its gonna provide long-term recovery not just a Band-Aid solution gotta give credit to JFK Jr for being a true advocate for these issues

The fact that Robert F. Kennedy Jr is stepping in with $100 million for a pilot program to tackle homelessness & substance abuse recovery is defo a positive move . I mean, the current system is literally failing people, sending them between shelters, hospitals, and jails without any real support. That's not how you solve addiction and mental health issues. You need a holistic approach that includes things like sober housing, job training, and community connections.

Kennedy is right on point when he says we need to prioritize early intervention and integrated care systems. It's time for us to stop treating addiction as a one-size-fits-all problem and start getting people the individualized support they need. And I love that he's highlighting the importance of faith-based recovery organizations - those guys are doing some amazing work on the ground.

The fact that this initiative comes after the Trump admin backtracked on grant funding is a bit concerning, but Kennedy's commitment to this cause is genuine and it's great to see him taking the lead. This could be the start of something really positive, so fingers crossed

I think this is finally some good news for our communities . I mean, it's about time we stop just throwing people at the system without giving them any real support. Kennedy's right, it's not about just providing temporary fixes, but about creating a whole system that can actually help people recover from addiction and homelessness. And I love that he's highlighting the importance of faith-based recovery organizations - they're often the ones on the ground, making a difference in people's lives. But we need more than just charity, we need real change. That's why it's so great to see SAMHSA getting behind this initiative and working with local orgs to create a coordinated approach. Fingers crossed it can make a real dent in our homelessness crisis

I'm so down for this , $100 million is a huge step in the right direction! Kennedy's initiative seems like it could really make a difference - we need more funding to get people the support they need, not just tossed around from one shelter or hospital to another. It's all about stability and community connection, you know? I'm also loving that he's highlighting the importance of faith-based recovery organizations - we should be supporting these groups, not tearing them down! And I gotta say, after everything with the Trump admin's funding... this is a breath of fresh air Can't wait to see how it all plays out!

so like, Robert F Kennedy Jr just announced $100 million for this program Streets to help ppl struggling with homelessness and substance abuse... i dont know if its gonna work tho... the gov has been all over the place on this stuff what if its just more of the same old thing? should we be trusting some rich guy's philanthropy instead of actual government funding?

man, 100 million bucks is like, whoa , gotta love RFK Jr for takin on this huge challenge. its all about gettin that support system right, u feel? so yeah, instead of just sendin people around, we need to hook them up with some real help, like sober housing and job training . Kennedy's got a point, the current system is whack, and its time for a change . these pilot programs could be the key to breakin that cycle of instability and gettin people back on their feet . can't wait to see how this one plays out

Ugh, finally someone with some sense in charge . I mean, who wouldn't want to address homelessness and substance abuse recovery? It's not like the system is broken or anything... But seriously, $100 million is a good start, but it's gonna be interesting to see how this whole pilot program thing plays out. Hopefully, they don't just hand over the reins to some bureaucratic agency and forget about actual people on the ground. Community reconnection and integrated care systems sound like a solid plan, fingers crossed it actually works

think its cool that RFK Jr is putting his money where his mouth is on this one. $100 million is a solid start, but what's the real plan behind Streets? Is it just about tossing more cash at the problem or are they gonna actually put in the work to make sure ppl are getting the support they need?

idk if its idealistic, but I feel like theres value in tryin to reconnect people with their communities. Sober housing and employment can definitely help ppl get back on their feet. And havin faith-based recovery orgs involved is a good call. They can provide that kinda human touch that gov programs often lack.

canceled $2 billion in grant funding was a low point for the Trump admin, but its cool they reinstated it. Still think we need more nuance around addiction treatment, though. its not just about gettin ppl high and then kickin them out when they crash

I'm so stoked to see Robert F Kennedy Jr putting his money where his heart is ! This $100 million grant for the Streets program is, like, totally needed . We've been talking about this issue for ages, and it's time we start seeing some real change . I love that he's emphasizing the importance of early intervention and integrated care systems - it makes so much sense . And can we talk about how amazing it is that faith-based recovery organizations are getting recognized as a vital part of the solution? It's all about creating a support system that works for everyone, you know? Let's keep the momentum going and make sure our communities are equipped to help people overcome addiction .

I'm really glad to hear that Robert F. Kennedy Jr is putting his money where his mouth is on this one... $100 million is a huge amount of funding and it's about time we saw some real action being taken on homelessness and substance abuse recovery in the US . The way he's talking about early intervention, integrated care systems, and providing people with stability and support to overcome addiction is like... totally on point! We need more people in power who are willing to take a holistic approach to solving this issue instead of just throwing money at it or making quick fixes that don't work. The pilot program sounds like it has a lot of potential to make a real difference in these communities, especially with the partnerships between SAMHSA and faith-based recovery organizations . Fingers crossed that it works out and we start seeing some real progress being made!

yeah, I'm all for $100 million in grants being thrown at this homelessness & substance abuse recovery issue but let's be real, how effective will these 8 pilot programs actually be? we need to see some serious data on long-term results before we get too hyped about this new initiative also, what's the plan for scaling it up beyond just 8 cities? and have they considered involving more local organizations & community groups in the decision-making process? that would make a huge difference