The American Addiction Recovery Association supports the Behavioral Health Innovation Block Grant. It is important to maximize states’ flexibilities in addressing the Addiction Epidemic.
It is a positive that states will have the ability to fund various activities most appropriate to the needs of their communities including addressing crisis services, treatment, recovery from substance use disorder, preventing and responding to overdoses, and serious mental illness and serious emotional disturbances.
The American Addiction Recovery Association agrees with The Administration that states, and local communities best know the way to serve their populations – not the federal government. It is essential we foster innovative solutions at the state level instead of building administrative silos and reducing administrative burden for states by having a single reporting mechanism.
The American Addiction Recovery Association urges reconsideration in the initial FY 2026 Health and Human Services Budget reflecting some ONE BILLION in fiscal reductions for programs which save lives, restore families, and strengthen communities.
President Trump led the way during his first term as HHS took a proactive, locally led approach to combating the Addiction Epidemic. It is imperative that President Trump recommend funding that matches the moment and increases funding for the Addiction Epidemic.
It is pro-family to accept that the Addiction Epidemic is the NUMBER ONE domestic policy issue impacting families across the United States.
The NUMBER ONE cause of death for Americans 18-45 is overdose / fentanyl poisoning – this is not acceptable.
At AARA we support President Trump and Secretary Kennedy as they seek to cut spending and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse. We also understand certain specific contracts might not merit continuation.
Clearly, it is the responsibility of organizations seeking to partner with any incumbent Presidential Administration to present themselves in a professional manner and administer programs which reflect the values and priorities of the President.
Likewise, it is the responsibility of both The Administration and Congress to appropriate funding that is congruent with the reality of the Addiction Epidemic.
By every measure, it is time to INCREASE funding for peer led community-based addiction recovery programs.
Let’s reorganize the structure of government, let’s have a discussion on the need to implement programs which reflect the goals of The Administration, and let’s increase these lifesaving appropriations – there are many organizations which are focused, exclusively, and which work in a bipartisan manner, on the Addiction Epidemic.
