Federal Officials Launch New ‘Treatment First’ Homelessness Strategy
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Health and Human Services Secretary, along with federal officials, unveiled a new 'Treatment First' homelessness strategy in National City at the San Diego Rescue Mission. This approach prioritizes addiction treatment and recovery over immediate permanent housing,…
San Diego, CA, August 12, 2026 —
National City, CA – Federal officials, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have introduced a new national strategy aimed at addressing homelessness. Dubbed the ‘Treatment First’ approach, the initiative was unveiled at the San Diego Rescue Mission in National City.
This new strategy represents a notable shift from the long-standing ‘Housing First’ model, which primarily focused on providing immediate permanent housing as the initial step in assisting individuals experiencing homelessness. The ‘Treatment First’ approach, in contrast, emphasizes prioritizing addiction treatment and recovery services.
At the heart of the new initiative is a comprehensive toolkit designed to guide organizations through a structured, five-phase process. While the specific details of each phase were not fully elaborated in the announcement, the overarching goal is to integrate treatment and recovery support more directly into the homelessness response system.
Federal officials stated that adopting this ‘Treatment First’ strategy will become a requirement for organizations seeking specific types of federal funding designated for homelessness initiatives. This policy change is intended to steer federal resources towards programs that directly address substance use disorders and mental health challenges as primary components of their service delivery.
The announcement signifies a potential redirection of federal policy and funding priorities in the ongoing effort to combat homelessness across the nation. The San Diego Rescue Mission was chosen as the location for the unveiling, highlighting the local impact and implementation of such federal strategies.
Further details regarding the implementation timeline and the specific criteria for federal funding will be made available to organizations. The administration indicated that the toolkit will provide a framework for this transition.
Story summarized from the original created by Dani Miskell – South Bay Reporter on www.10news.com, see more information here.
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