Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was at the San Diego Rescue Mission in National City on Wednesday to unveil a new federal approach to homelessness and addiction called “Treatment First.”
Kennedy said people struggling with addiction can encounter multiple systems without anyone overseeing their care from beginning to end.
“Nobody is in charge of the addict all the way through. Nobody is taking responsibility for the outcome,” Kennedy said.
The new federal tool kit is intended to change that by encouraging communities to coordinate services around treatment and recovery.
“Treatment first brings behavioral health, housing, public safety, employment, faith based organizations, families and communities together around a common goal,” Kennedy said.
The tool kit also signals a shift in federal funding priorities, saying existing funding structures have favored "Housing First" over long-term recovery outcomes.
The approach emphasizes abstinence and long-term recovery, rather than harm-reduction strategies that focus on reducing drug use.
The city of San Diego has used the Housing First model, which focuses on connecting people experiencing homelessness with stable housing and supportive services.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner described the new tool kit as a guide for communities.
“It’s a playbook, if you will, that brings together proven and practical strategies from across the United States of America,” Turner said.
But local homelessness advocates questioned whether San Diego has enough treatment capacity to make the approach work.
Joanne Standlee, who runs Housing 4 the Homeless, said the biggest concern is the lack of long-term residential treatment.
“Thirty days does not heal anyone. Twelve months, 18 months residential … that’s what people really need,” Standlee said.
San Diego has added detox beds in recent years, but detox is only one step in addiction treatment. The question is what happens next for people who need longer-term care but cannot find a bed.
Kennedy said the administration wants communities to focus less on the number of services provided and more on whether those services produce lasting results.
“It has to be measured on whether people are actually getting better,” Kennedy said.
In San Diego, advocates said the challenge will be whether there are enough resources to put that framework into practice.
