The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published a Request for Information in the Federal Register on June 10, 2026, inviting public comment on which research, programs, and policies have been most successful in treating addiction, improving mental health outcomes, and supporting long-term recovery. The comment period runs through July 5, 2026, and is framed as part of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s broader initiative, the administration has called the "Great American Recovery."
The RFI arrives at a sobering moment for American public health. Opioid overdose deaths have remained above 70,000 annually since 2017 and exceeded 80,000 in 2024, making drug overdose one of the leading causes of death among Americans under age 55. Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids now account for the vast majority of these deaths. The toll extends far beyond mortality statistics — addiction devastates families, communities, workforce participation, and the children of people with substance use disorders.
