HHS Secy. Kennedy, Dr. Oz & Others Announce New Mental Health Initiative
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, and others will announce “Action for Progress,” an initiative addressing mental health and addiction.
Airing Details: February 2, 2026 | 1:00 PM EST | C-SPAN 2
Based on a new Executive Order signed January 29, (see video here), the Administration is creating a new “Great American Recovery Initiative,” a White House effort aimed at coordinating the federal response to drug addiction and substance abuse across the country.
The order establishes a White House task force that will advise agencies on how to steer grants toward prevention, treatment, recovery housing and re-entry programs, and to align overlapping efforts across the government. It will be co-chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the Secretary of Health and Human Services and Kathryn Burgum, Senior Advisor for Addiction Recovery, former First Lady of North Dakota and “a longtime recovery advocate who has spoken publicly about achieving sobriety after years of alcoholism.”
According to the Fact Sheet,
- The Order establishes the Initiative, co-chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Senior Advisor for Addiction Recovery.
- Additional members of the Initiative include an executive director, cabinet secretaries, and senior administration leaders, some with deeply personal ties to the addiction crisis who are committed to ensuring Americans get the help they need.
- The Order directs the Initiative to:
- Recommend all necessary steps to coordinate the Federal Government’s response to the addiction crisis, including by better aligning relevant Federal programs, setting clear objectives, and providing data-driven updates to the public on progress towards meeting these objectives;
- Take appropriate actions to increase awareness of the disease of addiction, help Americans receive the treatment they need, and foster a culture that celebrates recovery;
- Advise agencies on how to implement programs that integrate prevention, early intervention, treatment, recovery support, and re-entry;
- Advise agencies on directing appropriate grants to support addiction recovery, with a focus on prevention, treatment, and long-term resilience; and
- Consult with States, tribal nations, local jurisdictions, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, the private sector, and philanthropic entities on the best strategies to ensure more Americans receive the treatment they need and celebrate individuals going through the recovery process.