Secretary Kennedy Brings ‘Take Back Your Health Tour’ to Southwest Virginia to Highlight Rural Health and Recovery

DANVILLE, VA — AUGUST 3 — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. today traveled to southwest Virginia as part of his “Take Back Your Health” tour to highlight Trump Administration’s efforts to expand addiction recovery, strengthen American agricultural and food supply chains, and recognize President Trump’s historic $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund.

On Monday, Secretary Kennedy joined Congressman John McGuire for visits to Tranquility Grove Rehabilitation Center and the Virginia Tech Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center. Under President Trump’s leadership, combating addiction and mental illness remains a national priority. The Administration is also advancing innovative agricultural technologies that strengthen domestic food production, improve supply chain resilience, and help deliver healthier food to the American people.

“President Trump is rebuilding America’s health from the ground up — by expanding recovery for people battling addiction, investing in rural communities, and strengthening American agriculture,” said Secretary Kennedy. “Health is not something government can manufacture — it grows in strong families, vibrant communities, and a healthy food system. That’s the foundation we’re restoring.”

“Health starts from the inside out,” said Rep. John McGuire (Va-05). “From the farmers that put fresh food on our tables, to healthcare professionals helping people heal from addiction, the Fifth District is full of hardworking men and women committed to making their communities healthier. I was proud to show Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. around the district and introduce him to the incredible folks making the Fifth healthy again.”

Secretary Kennedy and Rep. McGuire first toured Tranquility Grove Rehabilitation Center in Danville, Virginia, to learn more about the facility’s residential recovery program, which provides 24-hour supervised, clinically managed care for men battling substance use disorder.

President Trump’s Great American Recovery and his Executive Order on Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets have made recovery, public safety, homelessness, and human dignity national priorities.

To advance the Great American Recovery, HHS has committed more than $1 billion to strengthen Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, expand treatment and recovery services, grow the recovery workforce, and support faith-based organizations.

Secretary Kennedy and Rep. McGuire then visited Virginia Tech’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center. Since 2020, the center has been a national leader in indoor agriculture, helping advance local food production and pesticide-free farming while reducing land and water use.

In June, HHS announced $200 million in funding for researchers to develop innovative approaches to evaluating, diagnosing, and treating the health effects of cumulative chemical exposures and to accelerate the development of cost-effective technologies that reduce reliance on chemical crop protection tools.

For decades, the federal government neglected rural communities like those in Southwest Virginia. In December, the Trump Administration announced more than $189 million in healthcare funding for Virginia through President Trump’s first-of-its-kind Rural Health Transformation Fund.

Additionally, President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts legislation established the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund to strengthen and modernize healthcare in rural communities across the country.