Two agencies are vying for funding from Summit County’s addiction services board to open “transitional housing” where addicts can live safely while waiting for treatment.
The county’s Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADM) Board received proposals from Oriana House, which currently holds contracts with the board to provide other services, and Legacy III, which already operates transitional housing in the community and wants to open up more beds.
The proposals were submitted this month in response to a request by the ADM Board. The board identified transitional housing as an urgent need for the county. Members of the community also voiced the need following a community forum about the opiate epidemic sponsored by the Beacon Journal in September.
Addicts would use transitional housing after completing detoxification at the ADM Crisis Center. They would live there until a spot opens up at an inpatient or outpatient treatment center in the area.
Currently, addicts who complete detox often are forced to return to their regular environment — which usually includes other addicts who could convince them to relapse — until a spot opens in a treatment program. If addicts were to relapse in this time, they’d be forced to again go through detox, a painful experience with intense withdrawal symptoms. As a result, experts say they might be less likely to willingly submit.
The two agencies that submitted proposals ask for different levels of funding.
Legacy III asks for about $308,000 to renovate a space in its 733 W. Market St. location. The renovations would open up eight more beds, bumping their capacity to about 25. The beds would serve only women.
Oriana House offers three different levels of service. They’d provide 10, 20 or 30 beds for people of the same gender.
Jerry Craig, the ADM Board’s director, said he believes Oriana House hopes to serve men. According to Summit County data, 60 percent of those who overdosed so far this year have been men.
Oriana House’s proposal would cost between $623,000 and $943,000, depending on how many beds they’d open.
Craig said the plans are set to be discussed internally Tuesday. He said a timeline has not been determined for deciding which, if any, proposal to fund.
Nick Glunt can be reached at 330-996-3565 or nglunt@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGluntABJ and on Facebook @JournoNickGlunt .