RICHMOND, Va. β The Trump administration announced a $100 million federal program this week to tackle addiction and homelessness in eight cities across the country, drawing cautious optimism from local recovery advocates.
Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. announced his department will devote the funding toward a pilot program called Safety Through Recovery. The goal is engagement and evidence-based treatment support addressing substance abuse and homelessness.
The McShin Foundation in Richmond, an addiction recovery organization that serves around 500 people yearly, says leaders are hopeful about the new federal dollars.
CBS 6 sat down with McShin Foundation CEO Honesty Lillard, who was able to beat her addiction 18 years ago. She says the McShin Foundation is seeing an increase in people struggling with addiction right now.
Lillard hopes the program leads to a greater commitment of federal funding for treatment.
"I hope it's not just smoke and mirrors and, you know, 'Here's $100 million but to whom is it going to?' Because people are still dying every single day, so we have to have that period of recovery connection," Lillard said.
Kennedy also noted he hopes this innovation in addiction recovery will help spread awareness to reduce the stigma.
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