(NewsNation) — Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the country’s new addiction program will be critical to help stabilize Americans’ lives.
“It’s a fragmented system, where nobody really is responsible for the outcome to the addict,” Kennedy acknowledged during an appearance on “CUOMO.”
“You have housing, law enforcement, treatment centers, outpatient and then housing. And what this system does it brings all of those together. We intervene early. And that’s absolutely critical, because the treatment alone is almost always ineffective if it’s not accompanied by major changes in life.”
Kennedy on Monday announced the $100 million toward the “STREETS” initiative focused on addressing homelessness and substance use recovery in eight cities across the United States. The funds will be managed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy says President Trump has been extremely compassionate about the addiction crisis facing the country. Addiction has become the largest cause of death in Americans under age 45, he acknowledged.
“Addiction now is a catastrophic crisis for our country,” Kennedy added. “The direct cost of addiction is about $92 billion a year, and the indirect cost is $890 billion. And every family now in this country is touched in one way or another.”
New program provides comprehensive solution: RFK Jr.
With the country’s health care landscape evolving, Kennedy Jr. feels the new initiative will provide a comprehensive solution for Americans in need.
“Even in mental health, it’s fee for service,” he stated. “Everybody in the line is incentivized to keep us sick.
If you go to a rehab and then you relapse, the rehab gets double the money. And what we want to do is change that system so that the rehab will get paid for keeping you sober over a long period of time. They’ll get one block grant.”
Kennedy also pointed to the homeless as being beneficiaries of the program.
“About 37% of homeless people say that they’ve used drugs regularly over the past six months. Addiction may not affect you when you get homeless. But as you know, when you become homeless, all kinds of bad things happen to you, including mental illness,” he said.
