(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a $100 million pilot program on Monday to address Hepatitis C in homeless populations.
The Hepatitis C elimination initiative, administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, will primarily be used to treat individuals with addiction and serious mental illness.
“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,” said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of the Health and Human Services department.
The pilot program offers between 13 and 40 awards to states, territories, tribal organizations, health facilities and public or private nonprofit entities to apply for the award, according to the SAMHSA website.
Applicants must describe demographic information for their service area, including rates of homelessness, ethnicity, sex, age and socioeconomic status.
The award is divided into tiers where the organization receives more funding depending on how many patients it expects to treat. An organization that expects to treat and cure 25-50 patients per year can receive up to $2.5 million over two years. Organizations that treat more than 100 patients per year can receive up to $7.5 million over two years.
Hepatitis C is a disease that infects the liver with the blood borne Hepatitis C virus which can cause cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. The Hepatitis C virus is typically transmitted through sharing needles, syringes or other drug injection equipment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC reported more than 93,000 new cases of chronic hepatitis C in 2022. In the same year, more than 12,000 people died from complications due to Hepatitis C.
“Curing hepatitis C makes Americans healthy again while saving taxpayers billions by eliminating the need for chronic care,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La.
The pilot program comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order cracking down on homelessness in the United States and offering a plan to place individuals in “long-term institutional” facilities.
The order cited addiction and mental health issues as the leading cause for homelessness.
“The Federal Government and the States have spent tens of billions of dollars on failed programs that address homelessness but not its root causes, leaving other citizens vulnerable to public safety threats,” the order reads.
