The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Monday a new $100 million pilot program to fight Hepatitis C, focusing on individuals facing homelessness, substance use disorders, and serious mental illness.
The initiative will be led by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). It aims to not only cure Hepatitis C but also address the root causes that make the disease harder to control in at-risk communities.
“This pilot program delivers integrated care to tackle Hepatitis C, addiction, mental illness, and homelessness all at once,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
SAMHSA will offer between 13 and 40 grants to qualified applicants, including states, territories, tribal entities, health facilities, and nonprofit organizations. The funding amount will depend on how many patients each organization plans to treat.
Applicants must provide demographic details about the populations they serve, including data on homelessness, age, ethnicity, gender, and income levels.
Funding Tied to Treatment Goals
- The grant structure is tiered.
- Organizations that plan to treat 25–50 patients annually could receive up to $2.5 million over two years.
- Groups expecting to treat over 100 patients a year may be awarded as much as $7.5 million across the same time period.
Hepatitis C: A Deadly, Preventable Disease
Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is transmitted through blood. The most common way it spreads is through shared needles, syringes, or other drug injection tools. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer if untreated.
CDC data from 2022 shows there were more than 93,000 new chronic cases of Hepatitis C and over 12,000 deaths due to related complications.
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) emphasized the economic and health benefits of eliminating Hepatitis C:
“Curing Hepatitis C saves lives and cuts down on chronic care costs for taxpayers.”
Tied to National Homelessness Strategy
The announcement follows an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump, aimed at reducing homelessness by placing individuals into long-term care facilities. The order linked addiction and mental health conditions as key factors behind rising homelessness numbers.
“Decades of spending on ineffective programs have failed to address the core reasons behind homelessness,” the executive order stated.
This new HHS initiative represents a shift toward treating health-related causes of homelessness, rather than just managing its symptoms.
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