Committee singles out transportation and recovery housing as top gaps for settlement funding

Transportation and recovery housing emerged as priority gaps as the steering committee discussed where settlement funds could have the greatest impact.

Kelly Ainsworth told the committee, "Transportation firmly at the top," explaining that limited vehicle access, lost licenses and constrained public-transit options cause people to drop out of treatment or miss dosing appointments. Ainsworth said rides-to-wellness via Medicaid exists but is overused and unreliable; some local providers (for example, Serenity House) run limited transport programs with tight funding and hours.

On housing, Ainsworth said Great Lakes Recovery Mission and others offer recovery housing, but post-recovery supports remain scarce. "We can pay the 1st year's rent for 6 months — let them build a bank," she said while describing the value of housing rent support as a bridge to stability after treatment.

Committee members discussed whether to issue an RFP specifically for transportation services and noted contracting issues (vehicle ownership, insurance, driver certification) that would need to be resolved. The group considered a tiered RFP approach (mini grants and larger awards) to enable both small community organizations and large treatment providers to compete effectively.