Drug Czar Hosts Summit at White House on Best Practices for Addiction Treatment Within Homelessness
In support of President Trump’s Executive Order on Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets, Drug Czar Sara Carter launched a two-day summit hosted by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to find whole-of-government solutions for the issue of drug addiction among the homeless population.
Event participants included HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., VA Secretary Doug Collins, Assistant Secretary of Health Admiral Brian Christine, HUD Assistant Secretary Ronnie Kurtz, SAMHSA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher D. Carroll, and Co-Chair of the Great American Recovery Initiative Kathryn Burgum.
“There is inherent value and dignity to every human life, no matter the circumstances,” said National Drug Control Policy Director Sara Carter. “We must continue to enhance, expand, and encourage treatment, especially in our homeless population. It is a priority of the Trump Administration to find new and innovative ways to help those in need achieve sobriety.”
“The Trump administration will not tolerate a system that leaves Americans in addiction and on the streets,” said HHS Secretary Kennedy. “We are bringing treatment directly to those in need and strengthening the link between treatment, housing, and recovery. Today’s summit advances a national model that delivers real results.”
“It is critical we focus on real solutions that lift Americans out of homelessness,” said HUD Secretary Scott Turner. “We must abandon the failed ‘Housing First’ policies that have misused taxpayer funded resources without any expectation of results and too often leave individuals trapped in addiction, untreated mental illness, and indefinite dependence on government systems. HUD will promote treatment, recovery, and self-sufficiency.”
“At SAMHSA, we’re focused on addressing homelessness by confronting behavioral health as a key driver of the problem, while supporting efforts that promote recovery,” said SAMHSA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher D. Carroll. “Integrated, community-based treatment models outperform fragmented care and systems, giving individuals who are homeless a greater chance at recovery and self-sufficiency.”
These Administration officials were joined by individuals who have overcome homelessness and addiction, as well as physicians, social workers, and experts with successful treatment models. This group aims to create a national treatment model through the discussion of best practice strategies, ideal program characteristics, tangible outcome measures, the integration of faith and medicine, financing, and drug endangered children.
These announcements further the bold vision laid out in President Trump’s Great American Recovery Initiative, co-chaired by Secretary Kennedy and Senior Advisor for Addiction Recovery Kathryn Burgum. This Initiative is a new national response to the disease of addiction that will create stronger coordination across government, the healthcare sector, faith communities, and the private sector in order to save lives, restore families, and strengthen our communities.
