Trending Now - RFK Jr. Introduces Initiative to Combat Psychiatric Drug Overuse in Kids

WHO:

Fox News - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)

CNN - Dr. Joseph F. Goldberg, clinical professor of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

CNN - Dr. Jonathan Alpert, Dorothy and Marty Silverman Chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Montefiore Medical Center

CNN - Dr. Theresa Miskimen Rivera, president of the American Psychiatric Association

WHAT:

Fox News - RFK Jr. unveiled a new HHS initiative targeting the overuse of psychiatric medications, especially among children.

CNN - The initiative aims to reduce “overprescribing” of psychiatric medications and support alternative treatment options.

CNN - Kennedy stated, “Today, we take clear and decisive action to confront our nation’s mental health crisis by addressing the overuse of psychiatric medications, especially among children.”

CNN - The announcement follows guidelines published by the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology in February regarding research and training on medication discontinuation.

CNN - Approximately 40% of adults and adolescents with depression in the U.S. received counseling or therapy, and 11.4% of adults took prescription medication for depression.

WHERE:

CNN - The announcement was made at a MAHA Institute summit on mental health and overmedicalization.

WHY:

CNN - The initiative is part of a broader strategy to confront the mental health crisis in the U.S. and address concerns about the overuse of psychiatric medications.

CNN - Kennedy has claimed that psychiatric drugs may be linked with violence and mass shootings, and pose serious risks to developing fetuses when taken during pregnancy.

HOW:

CNN - HHS agencies plan to evaluate prescription patterns for psychiatric medications, their benefits and potential harms, and elevate the role of nonmedication treatments.

CNN - The approach will include education and outreach, program and policy actions, and efforts to increase research influence on clinical practice.

(UPDATED May 6, 2026 05:54 UTC)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, has unveiled a new initiative aimed at tackling the overuse of psychiatric medications, particularly among children, during a summit at the MAHA Institute focused on mental health. This initiative seeks to reduce the "overprescribing" of these medications and promote alternative treatment options, as Kennedy emphasized the need for decisive action to confront the nation's mental health crisis. The plan will involve evaluating prescription patterns, enhancing the role of nonmedication treatments, and implementing education and outreach efforts to influence clinical practice.