HHS rolls out peer-support plan to keep addicted parents with their kids

At a ceremony in Des Moines, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled a federal effort to expand peer-support addiction recovery services nationwide, aiming to keep parents in their homes and curb foster-care admissions. The plan adds two vetted programs—one delivering intensive in-home clinical support for parents of young children, and another offering Wellness Recovery Action Plans guided by experienced peers—to the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse, unlocking full federal reimbursement for participating states.

Iowa, represented by Governor Kim Reynolds, will be the first to implement the models, which target the roughly 35% of foster-care placements caused by parental drug abuse and an additional 5% tied to alcohol misuse. Senior officials highlighted that peer specialists, who have lived experience with addiction, fill a critical gap in the recovery system and can help families achieve lasting sobriety. The rollout builds on earlier investments in the Great American Recovery agenda, including a $700 million commitment to combat addiction and mental illness. By providing states with additional resources, the administration hopes to strengthen family reunification and reduce the number of children entering foster care.