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Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

United States Secretary of Health and Human Services

Appears in 2 stories

Born: January 17, 1954 (age 72 years), Washington, D.C.
Spouse: Cheryl Hines (m. 2014), Mary Richardson Kennedy (m. 1994–2012), and Emily Ruth Black (m. 1982–1994)
Children: Conor Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy III, Kathleen Alexandra Kennedy, and more
Education: Pace University, Harvard University, University of Virginia, and more
Parents: Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy
Siblings: Kerry Kennedy, David Kennedy, Rory Kennedy, and more

Notable Quotes

"We are working on getting it up now." — On restoring LGBTQ+ youth services

"I do, senator." — Under Senate testimony, committing to restore 988's LGBTQ+ youth service

Stories

988 crisis hotline linked to fewer youth suicide deaths

Rule Changes

Oversees SAMHSA, the agency that runs 988

Suicide rates among Americans aged 15 to 34 had climbed for more than a decade. The federal government replaced the 10-digit crisis lifeline with 988 in July 2022. A JAMA study published April 22, 2026 found that suicide deaths in that age group ran 11% below projections over the next two and a half years, an estimated 4,400 fewer deaths.

Updated May 31

Federal psychedelic therapy policy shifts from prohibition to expedited research

Rule Changes

Identified as key driver of the psychedelic executive order

For 55 years, the federal government classified psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, and ibogaine as Schedule I substances. On April 18, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order 'Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness' directing the FDA to expedite clinical trials of those substances for PTSD in veterans.

Updated May 31