On April 22, 2026 the agency issued a press release titled, “ARPA-H announces first research teams for $139 million initiative to transform behavioral health and bring new, more precise and effective treatments to Americans.” The EVIDENT initiative, funded by ARPA-H, will invest up to $139.4 million to develop objective measures for validating rapid-acting behavioral health therapies, including psychedelics.
On April 15, 2026, the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS Announces $4 Million KidneyX EMPOWER Prize Challenge and Health Technology Project to Advance Living Kidney Donation and Patient-Centered Innovation.” The challenge aims to improve public awareness, donor interventions, readiness, and center practices to increase living kidney donations. Additionally, HHS will support data standardization and health information technology improvements to enhance nephrology care.
On April 7, 2026 the agency issued a press release titled, “HRSA Announces More Than $135 Million to Expand Nutrition Services and Strengthen Rural Health Workforce.” Funding will expand nutrition services and strengthen the rural health workforce. The funding includes $125 million for Expanded Nutrition Services to prevent and manage chronic diseases and $11.25 million for the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program to support new rural residency programs. These investments aim to improve access to care, enhance preventive services, and reduce the burden of chronic disease.
On April 2, 2026, the agency issued a press release titled, “ARPA-H launches groundbreaking, $144 million program to combat toxic microplastics in the human body.” STOMP program funding announced to develop tools for measuring, researching, and removing microplastics and nanoplastics in the human body. The program will focus on measurement and mechanism in the first phase, and removal in the second phase.
On March 6, 2026, The agency issued a press release titled, “SAMHSA Announces More Than $69 Million in Funding Opportunities for Serious Mental Illness and Suicide Prevention Grant Programs.” Funding is for three grant programs: $43 million for the Children’s Mental Health Initiative, $16.1 million for the Zero Suicide program, and $10 million for Assisted Outpatient Treatment. These grants aim to strengthen mental health services, prevent suicide, and support recovery for individuals with serious mental illness.
On January 27, 2026 the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS Clears Path for Lower-Cost Prescription Drugs Through Direct-to-Consumer Programs.” HHS guidance clarifies how drug manufacturers can offer lower-cost drugs directly to patients, including Medicare and Medicaid enrollees, supporting affordability and protecting against fraud.
On January 13, 2026 the agency issued a press release titled, “SAMHSA Announces $231M Funding Opportunity to Administer 988 Lifeline.” SAMHSA announced $231 million in funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a national network of crisis centers providing 24/7 access to trained counselors.
On January 5, 2026, the agency issued a press release titled, “ CDC Acts on Presidential Memorandum to Update Childhood Immunization Schedule.” Accepting recommendations to update the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule based on international best practices. The updated schedule will focus on protecting children from serious diseases and improving clarity and public confidence.
On December 29, 2025 the agency issued a press release titled, “CMS Announces $50 Billion in Awards to Strengthen Rural Health in All 50 States.” CMS announced $50 billion in awards for the Rural Health Transformation Program, aiming to improve rural healthcare access, workforce, infrastructure, and care models.
On December 19, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS Announces Request for Information to Harness Artificial Intelligence to Deflate Health Care Costs and Make America Healthy Again.” HHS seeks public input on accelerating AI adoption in clinical care to improve patient outcomes, reduce provider burden, and lower costs.
On December 2, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS’ Cleanup of Federal Nursing Home Minimum Staffing Standards Rule Expands Access to Rural and Tribal Health Care.” HHS repealed a Biden Administration rule requiring nursing homes to provide a minimum of 3.48 hours of nursing care per day, citing its disproportionate burden on rural and Tribal communities.
On November 19,2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “Indian Health Service Joint Venture Construction Program Selects New Projects.” Announcing seven new or expanded healthcare facility projects, strengthening partnerships with tribes and expanding access to culturally appropriate healthcare services.
On November 18, 2025, the agency issue a press release titled, “HHS Backs AI Innovation for America’s Caregiver.”
On November 6, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “CMS Announces New Drug Payment Model to Strengthen Medicaid and Better Serve Vulnerable Americans.” Launching in 2026 the GENEROUS Medicaid Model to lower prescription drug spending.
On November 5, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “All 50 States Seek to Transform Rural Health with CMS.” $50 billion allocated to the Rural Health Transformation Program, aiming to strengthen rural healthcare by expanding access, quality and outcomes.
On September 30, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS Doubles AI-Backed Childhood Cancer Research Funding.”
On September 30, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “Administration for Community Living Awards $60 Million to Advance Make America Healthy Again Agenda.”
On September 29, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS’ Office for Civil Rights Refers Harvard University for Suspension and Debarment Proceedings.” This means that Harvard may be excluded from receiving federal funding.On September 23, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “SAMHSA Awards More Than $45 Million in Supplemental Funding to Support Young Adult Sober Housing Services.”
On September 23, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS Expands MAHA to Head Start Adding $61.9 Million to Nutrition Services for Children and Families.On September 22, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS Provides More Than $1.5 Billion in State and Tribal Opioid Response Grants.”
On September 16, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS’ Civil Rights Office Launches Investigation into Alleged Civil Rights Violations in Legal Scholarship Program Operated Nationwide.” Title VI “prohibits recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin in the recipients' programs and activities.”
On September 15, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “CMS Launches Landmark $50 Billion Rural Health Transformation Program.” The funding will be distributed to “approved states over five years, with $10 billion available each year beginning in federal fiscal year 2026.”
On August 27, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “SAMHSA Announces $19M in Supplemental Funding to Strengthen Housing Capacity for Homeless People with Serious Mental Illness.”
On August 19, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “CMS Launches Nationwide Push to Remove Ineligible Medicaid Enrollees, Uphold Citizenship Requirements,” which helps States to maintain program integrity, and protect taxpayer funding.
On August 5, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS Winds Down mRNA Vaccine Development Under BARDA.” HHS is “shifting funding towards safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate.”
On July 28, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS Announces $100M in Pilot Funding Opportunity to Eliminate Hepatitis C.”
On July 17, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “CMS Finds $2.8 Million Americans Potentially Enrolled in Two or More Medicaid / ACA Exchange Plans.” “The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continue to crush fraud, waste, and abuse in America’s healthcare programs by stopping duplicative enrollment in government health programs, with the potential to save taxpayers approximately $14 billion annually.”
On July 15, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “CMS Expands Access to Lifesaving Gene Therapies Through Innovative State Agreements.” This model includes several key features including, “optional federal support of up to $9.55 million per state to help with implementation, outreach, and data tracking.”
On June 19, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “NIH to Fund Long-Term Health Studies for East Palestine After Train Disaster,” which “launched a five-year, $10 million research initiative to assess and address the long-term health outcomes stemming from the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.”
On May 6, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS’ Civil Rights Office Clarifies Race-Based Prohibitions for Medical Schools to Advance Values of Initiative, Hard Work, and Excellence.”
On May 5, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “Administration for Community Living Grant Award and Funding Opportunity.”
On April 29, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “ACF Improves Educational Freedom and Opportunities for Families.”
On April 11, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS’ Civil Rights Office Launches Sixth Investigation to Promote Merit-Based Opportunity.”
On March 27, 2025, the agency issued a press release titled, “HHS’ Civil Rights Office Investigates California Medical School for Discriminatory Race-Based Admissions.”
On March 3, 2025, the Department issued a press release titled, “ED, HHS, and GSA Announce Additional Measures to End Anti-Semitic Harassment on College Campuses.”
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