Faith-based substance use disorder (SUD) programs could have a resurgence under U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. While Kennedy recently stressed the importance of medication-assisted treatment, such as Suboxone and Methadone, he also focused on spiritual and service frameworks to treat SUD.
During his April 24 speech at the Rx and Illicit Drug Summit in Nashville, Tenn., the HHS secretary also stated that better fentanyl detection to identify the substance on pills is necessary to help youth avoid fatal overdoses. He noted that his agency is prepared to finance addiction and overdose solutions with “$4 billion,” but added that “throwing money at it is not alone going to work.” This comes just a month after the Trump administration renewed the Opioid Public Health Emergency.
Most of his speech, however, emphasized how faith-based frameworks underpin stronger addiction recovery outcomes, the importance of re-establishing community connections, and cell phone use being a root cause of addiction and isolation for youth.
“We need to really focus on re-establishing these historic ties to community. We have this whole generation of kids who’ve lost hope in their future… You have this whole generation of children who have lost faith in our God,” he said. “One of the things we need to do, by the way we live our own lives individually, but also through policy changes, is to try to re-establish for those kids, one hope for the future and also a sense of connection and usefulness to community. There are many ways that we can do that— particularly through service.”
He did not mention what specific policy changes could entail.
Service-based recovery is one of the focuses Kennedy has previously pitched as a solution to the opioid crisis and for adults on antidepressants. In a June 2024 virtual town hall event, he discussed “wellness farms” where residents grow food and learn trade skills in a technology-free environment as an ideal solution and alternative to traditional substance use disorder treatment. The concept of service-based recovery farms was also highlighted as a key solution to overcoming addiction in the HHS secretary’s YouTube documentary.
“Everybody wants to be useful,” he said. “When you’re serving other people, that has a magical impact on your life, it takes away the depression.”
Another key focus of the Trump administration’s plan to help end the opioid crisis in the country is cracking down on illicit drug flow across the border, something Kennedy touched on in his April 24 speech, but downplayed it to the importance of rebuilding community ties for those in crisis.
“It’s not just a prevention on the border that’s important. It’s not just making sure that every addict, when they have those moments when they’re willing to ask for help, that there’s a rehab ready for them to go to—and that is critically important,” Kennedy said. “But there are bigger issues. How do we restore our families? How do we restore that commitment to community?”
The 90-day extension of the public health emergency provides the resources needed for Kennedy and his staff to continue expedited work on substance use disorder and opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment projects, research and information collection.
During his January 29 confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate when asked if he would oppose Medicaid cuts or access to treatment for individuals with SUDs, he affirmed that addiction care is one of his top priorities and stated that he would “work closely with CMS and Congress to improve access to the most appropriate and compassionate care for individuals who need substance use disorder services.”
He also doubled down on the importance of Community Behavioral Health Clinics and promised to work with agencies to continue the capabilities of these clinics “to deliver services efficiently and effectively.”
However, shortly after Kennedy’s confirmation as HHS secretary, the Trump administration announced billions in funding cuts to agencies like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which have historically provided grants, research and infrastructure for prevention, treatment and recovery nationwide.
