The city of St. Petersburg, Florida, is allocating $1 million from the opioid settlement to nonprofit organizations working to address the problem. The opioid crisis Through treatment and recovery support services.
As part of the settlement, St. Petersburg will receive $6 million over 18 years.
The city is looking to fill resource or service gaps in the community and plans to use the money to offer grants for new and innovative proposals not already funded by existing sources, the city said in a news release.
Grants will be awarded to proposals that provide relief housing, overdose prevention, Substance use prevention and with priority given to proposals focusing on education, harm reduction and peer support, respite housing, harm reduction and peer support.
“There is never enough help for addiction because the rates continue to rise,” said Matthew Shaffer, director of operations for Real Recovery Solutions. Fox 13.
Real Recovery Solutions, which operates sober living facilities around Pinellas County and the Tampa Bay region, is not eligible for the grant money but works with a nonprofit that can use the funds to sponsor someone, the outlet reported.
“[Non-profits] Will probably fund two to three weeks of healthy living. And give that recovering addict a chance to find a job and start paying their own rent,” Schaefer said.
According to Shafer, one of the region’s biggest needs is to make detox treatment more accessible and affordable. Many detox centers are privately funded and require full payment or insurance, but others have long waiting lists for beds.
“[Addicts] Being told, ‘Hey, you know, we’re out of bed for three to five days.’ Lack of resources for our underfunded or uninsured community. I think it can be a big help. Unfortunately, those three to five days can really, really be life or death,” Schaefer said.
Nonprofit groups were given until October 20 to apply for grant money through the city of Saint Petersburg.
Post City in Florida awards $1M in opioid settlement money to nonprofits fighting opioid epidemic appeared first Fox News.