Health Department commits over $700 million to mental health and homelessness efforts

The Department of Health and Human Services plans to tackle the root causes of homelessness and mental health with millions of dollars allocated to expand local health clinics, recovery programs, and other initiatives.

admin June 19, 2026 2 minutes read

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FILE-An American flag flies over a tent at a homeless tent city in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The Department of Health and Human Services is pledging more than $700 million in new funding that will be allocated for mental illness, addiction, and homelessness.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the initiative on Wednesday while visiting a behavioral health clinic in Clinton Township, Michigan.

Health Department $700 million mental health, homelessness funding

Dig deeper: Reuters reported that the ⁠broader package for mental health and homelessness support includes $223.1 million for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, $238.6 million for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, $80 million for substance use ⁠prevention, treatment, and recovery programs, and over $70 million for mental health services and supports.

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Additionally, there’s also funding for a $96 million grant program, Safety Through Recovery, Engagement, and Evidence-based Treatment and Support, with the money awarded to eight communities.

Moreover, this program is also designed to assist local governments with building coordinated care systems for individuals experiencing homelessness who have substance-use disorders, serious mental illness, or both.