Health Secretary Robert Kennedy testified before the Senate last week, denying he proposed sending Black children to rural farm facilities for addiction treatment, despite recorded interviews from his 2024 presidential campaign where he discussed exactly that plan.

Senate Confrontation Over Past Statements

During a contentious Senate hearing, Maryland Democrat Angela Alsobrooks pressed Kennedy about his vision for a national system of wellness farms. She asked directly whether he said every Black child could be “reparented” on such farms, calling the concept dangerous and irresponsible. Kennedy appeared caught off guard, stating he had no memory of making such comments and offering a conditional apology if recordings proved otherwise.

Podcast recordings from June and July 2024 show Kennedy discussing reparenting American children on wellness farms he proposed building across rural communities. He specifically addressed Black children after claiming falsely that every Black child receives prescriptions for Adderall, antidepressants, and anxiety medications, which he said induce violence. Kennedy presented his farm program as a solution to what he characterized as over-prescription of mental health medications.

Italian Farm Model Raises Expert Concerns

Kennedy has repeatedly cited San Patrignano, an Italian farm community located east of Florence, as the template for his proposed federal program. He compared the vision to the Peace Corps during his presidential campaign, promising to establish similar facilities nationwide for people recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. The Department of Health and Human Services defended Kennedy’s use of the term reparenting, calling it a psychotherapy term taken out of context.

Medical Community Pushes Back

Addiction treatment experts have raised serious objections to Kennedy’s wellness farm approach. Dr. Robert Heimer from Yale University’s School of Public Health criticized the abstinence-based model, stating that research shows such programs fail repeatedly and often quickly. Medical professionals worry about Kennedy’s opposition to medication-assisted treatment, which forms the backbone of evidence-based addiction care in America. HHS declined multiple interview requests from reporters seeking to discuss Kennedy’s focus on the Italian community and concerns from lawmakers and medical experts.