In Massachusetts, in some ways, they are catching up to the opioid epidemic and facing it head-on. This sometimes means sending addicted patients home with medication-assisted treatment, offering sober coaching programs, and even providing drop-in clinics in some cities where drug addiction therapy is scarce. Now, The Center for Community Recovery Innovations (CCRI) has awarded a total of $696,995 in grant funding to help house recovery populations that include men, women, families, veterans, the homeless and ex-offenders.
The money will go to creating and modernizing 118 affordable sober housing units in communities across Massachusetts.
The grants come from the Center for Community Recovery Innovations, Inc. (CCRI), a nonprofit subsidiary of MassHousing. The goal of the award is to help nonprofits create or preserve affordable sober housing in Massachusetts.
This is not the first grant that has been awarded to support substance-free housing. Total, CCRI has awarded more than $10 million in grants. Without these grants, there would be few options for recovery housing, which is often considered the best option for people who have completed a long-term residential program. Sober homes help formerly addicted people to transition back into the community slowly.
Total, CCRI has helped create and maintain nearly 2,200 units of substance-free housing. In Worcester, the Latin American Health Alliance was able to put a down payment on financing to acquire Casa Colon, which will create 11 units of affordable sober housing for men, an essential addition for the overlooked demographic of LatinX community members in recovery.
“A safe, healthy and supportive housing environment is a critical component to substance misuse recovery,” said MassHousing Executive Director Chrystal Kornegay. “These grants help to meet the tremendous need for sober housing that is affordable and accessible to individuals who are working to overcome addiction. The projects funded through these awards will strengthen communities across the Commonwealth, by creating and modernizing affordable homes that promote successful recovery, helping individuals in need access the critical support services they need to successfully prevail over substance misuse.”
