Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced $42.3 million in supplemental funding to states and territories through two federal block grants to advance President Trump’s Executive Order on Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets and the Best Practices Toolkit: Addressing Homelessness and Addiction through Treatment First.
In announcing these resources, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated, “President Trump has directed us to break the cycle of homelessness and addiction by putting treatment, recovery, and self-sufficiency first. These investments will help states move people from crisis into treatment and from treatment into lasting recovery, stable housing, and work. We are funding results that help people reclaim their health and independence.”
CURE commends HHS for advancing a treatment first policy, which we advocated in our policy report, “Homelessness in America: A Public Concern & Moral Hazard.”
The report analyzes the state of homelessness in America and how we got here. A harm reduction and housing first approach will not solve the underlying problem. Instead, there needs to be a multi-pronged approach, where local law enforcement discourages homelessness and social welfare policies get to the core of the problem. We need to address the addictions, mental illness, and other principal causes of this condition.
A secure border and sensible immigration policies are also necessary to relieve urban areas and other communities in which the problem has been exacerbated by an overwhelming influx of migrants. CURE has supported the Trump Administration in securing our border. State and local leaders now need to do their part to implement sensible homelessness policies within their jurisdictions.
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