County approves opioid‑settlement funds for intensive housing program serving people with co‑occurring needs

Tompkins County approved a request Sept. 2 to use opioid settlement funds to support an intensive housing program that serves people experiencing homelessness and co‑occurring substance‑use and mental‑health challenges.

Health department staff explained the program provides long‑term, intensive supports including housing, peer support, wraparound case management and residential staff who reside at program facilities. The health department said the program targets individuals with high needs who have been unable to succeed in other programs due to prior property destruction, criminal‑justice involvement or other complicating factors.

Health department staff said the program has served 28 clients since it started; the packet also noted 10 clients were served in an eight‑month period in a prior year. The department described the program as intensive and long‑term and highlighted results: an average time from referral to placement of about five days and six clients who have since graduated to permanent, stable housing. Health department staff also clarified these funds include contributions from the City of Ithaca alongside a local government unit allocation and are not general county discretionary funds: "The origin of these funds are not actually county dollars," the health official said, noting the city contributed a portion.

Legislators asked how many clients the funding would serve given a project cost in the packet; health department staff said the program's intensity explains the relatively small client count relative to the dollar amount and that outcomes include rapid placement and several graduates to stable housing.

Ending: The legislature passed the opioid‑settlement funding resolution unanimously. Health department staff said they will continue to report program outcomes as the funds are spent.