President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the White House Great American Recovery Initiative. The initiative is designed to coordinate a national and federal government response to the disease of addiction and substance abuse, advising agencies on program implementation, grant direction, and public awareness. It seeks to integrate prevention, early intervention, treatment, recovery support, and re-entry services.
Establishment and Purpose
On Thursday, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order to create the White House Great American Recovery Initiative. The initiative's primary goal is to coordinate a comprehensive national response to the addiction crisis across various sectors, including government, healthcare, faith communities, and the private sector.
The order mandates the initiative to address addiction by saving lives, restoring families, strengthening communities, and fostering recovery.
Leadership and Membership
The initiative is co-chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and Kathryn Burgum, who also serves as the Senior Advisor for Addiction Recovery. Ms. Burgum has personal experience with addiction recovery and advocates for the cause. Its membership includes an executive director, various cabinet secretaries, and other senior administration leaders.
Directives of the Executive Order
The Executive Order directs the initiative to:
- Recommend steps for coordinating the Federal Government’s response to the addiction crisis, which includes aligning programs, setting objectives, and providing data-driven updates.
- Increase public awareness of addiction and facilitate access to treatment, promoting a culture that celebrates recovery.
- Advise federal agencies on implementing programs that integrate prevention, early intervention, treatment, recovery support, and re-entry services.
- Guide agencies in directing grants to support addiction recovery, with a focus on prevention, treatment, and long-term resilience.
- Consult with states, tribal nations, local jurisdictions, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, the private sector, and philanthropic entities on effective strategies for treatment and recovery.
Context of the Addiction Crisis
Addiction, also known as substance use disorder, is characterized as a chronic, treatable disease. Data indicates that 48.4 million Americans, representing 16.8% of the national population, are affected by addiction.
Among the 40.7 million adults with a substance abuse disorder in 2024 who did not receive treatment, 95.6% did not perceive a need for it, according to data cited by the White House.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported in its National Survey on Drug Use and Health that over 74% of adults who perceived a drug or alcohol problem in 2024 reported being in recovery or having recovered.
Addiction contributes to declining workforce participation, increased healthcare costs, homelessness, family instability, and lost productivity, resulting in hundreds of billions of dollars in annual costs for the United States. The framework for addiction treatment is suggested to align with that of other chronic diseases, incorporating evidence-based care, scientific advancement, continuous support, and community connection.
Related Administration Actions
Federal funding for drug recovery is primarily managed by SAMHSA. The Trump administration had previously reversed plans to cut approximately $2 billion from mental health and addiction treatment programs under SAMHSA.