U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Announces $700 Million in New Funding for Behavioral Health, Recovery, Crisis Response and Homelessness Support

• HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced more than $700 million in new behavioral health funding, including a $96 million opportunity for the STREETS program and $612 million for additional programs. 
• The STREETS program will award eight communities up to $3 million annually for four years to support care systems for people experiencing homelessness who have substance use disorders, serious mental illness or co-occurring disorders. 
• Additional funding includes $223.1 million for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, $238.6 million for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, $80 million for substance-use prevention, treatment and recovery, and more than $70 million for mental health services and supports.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has posted more than $700 million in new funding opportunities aimed at expanding behavioral health treatment, recovery services, crisis response and support for people experiencing homelessness. 

The announcement includes a $96 million opportunity for the Safety Through Recovery, Engagement, and Evidence-based Treatment and Support program, known as STREETS, and $612 million in funding opportunities across other behavioral health programs administered through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the funding during a press conference following a visit to the Easterseals MORC Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic. The funding is tied to the Great American Recovery Initiative and includes support for homelessness response, behavioral health clinics, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, substance use programs and mental health services. 

“These investments will help move people from the streets into treatment and recovery, strengthen families, save lives and make communities safer,” said Kennedy in a SAMHSA press announcement. 

The STREETS program will provide up to $24 million each year, for a total of $96 million over four years. SAMHSA said eight communities will be eligible for awards of up to $3 million annually. The program is designed to help communities build multisector care systems for people experiencing homelessness who have substance use disorders, serious mental illness or co-occurring disorders. 

The program places emphasis on rapid, comprehensive and coordinated street-based engagement, treatment and recovery support services. SAMHSA said the approach is intended to bring together local government, health and housing providers, law enforcement and courts. The funding announcement also states that awarded programs may not use housing first approaches or prohibited harm reduction services. 

The broader funding package includes $223.1 million for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. That total includes $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,” said SAMHSA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher D. Carroll in a SAMHSA press announcement. 

SAMHSA also announced $238.6 million for 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline programs, including $211.1 million for states and territories to improve local 988 capacity, $20 million for Tribal response cooperative agreements and $7.5 million for crisis center follow-up programs. Another $80 million will go toward substance use prevention, treatment and recovery programs, including rural emergency medical services training, recovery community programs, drug courts, youth services, opioid technical assistance, Tribal opioid response and services for pregnant and postpartum women. 

More than $70 million is slated for mental health services and support. Those opportunities include funding for childhood trauma services, Tribal behavioral health suicide prevention, mobile crisis team partnerships, early diversion, services for American Indians and Alaska Natives, trauma-informed care for children and youth, and infant and early childhood mental health. 

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