The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a $100M pilot funding opportunity to prevent, test for, treat, and cure Hepatitis C (HCV) in individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) and/or serious mental illness (SMI). This program is designed to support communities severely affected by homelessness and to gain insights on effective ways to identify patients, complete treatment, cure infections, and reduce reinfection by Hepatitis C (a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus).
“HHS is delivering on our promise to the American people for a healthier, brighter future,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “Through this pilot program, we are launching a comprehensive, integrated care model that not only cures HCV but also tackles critical risk factors like substance use, mental health challenges, and homelessness head-on.
”The Hepatitis C Elimination Initiative Pilot was developed and will be administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The pilot is a significant accomplishment in President Trump’s agenda to Make America Healthy Again. This upfront investment is a common-sense and scientifically driven initiative projected to both save lives and save community health care costs in the long run. State and community-based organizations are among the entities eligible to apply for the program.
“SAMHSA is committed to Make America Healthy Again by delivering holistic treatment to each person with our belief that no one is too sick to recover,” said Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Art Kleinschmidt. “SAMHSA envisions that the selected demonstration sites will advance HHS’s gold standard in provision of effective treatment while developing best practices and successful models that can be applied to additional communities.”
“Hepatitis C affects over 2 million Americans and claims thousands of lives every year. Curing hepatitis C makes Americans healthy again while saving taxpayers billions by eliminating the need for chronic care,” said Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA). “I thank President Trump and Secretary Kennedy for their leadership, and I look forward to working with them to eliminate hepatitis C.”
Hepatitis C is a chronic disease that often intersects with other major health complications, especially addiction, mental illness, and homelessness. Untreated hepatitis C can result in the development of additional chronic diseases including cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. Highly effective oral medications can now be provided to patients that result in high HCV cure rates following 8-12 weeks of treatment.
