Task force hears calls to expand recovery housing, peer respite and 'housing‑first' supports

Missouri lawmakers and providers heard wide agreement on Thursday that expanding recovery housing, peer respite beds and housing‑first approaches would reduce emergency medical and criminal‑justice costs and help people sustain recovery.

Brendan Steenburgen, executive director of the Missouri Coalition of Recovery Support Providers (MoCRISP), told the House Task Force on Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment that the statewide network now certifies thousands of recovery beds but still faces unmet demand. "We at MoCRISP envision a world where there is no 1 who's homeless because of addiction, and no 1 who has had their family torn apart because of addiction, and no 1 who has to see a loved 1 die because their life spiraled out of control," Steenburgen said.

Why it matters: Witnesses said stable, purpose‑built housing is often the condition people need to start and remain in treatment. Providers and clinicians described how lack of housing blocks medication adherence, clinic follow‑up and opportunities for family reunification, and they urged lawmakers to use state budget, settlement and federal levers to scale proven options.

Key testimony and data: MoCRISP said it represents more than 140 member providers, has certified over 3,400 active recovery beds statewide and operates 12 recovery community centers. Steenburgen said core state general‑revenue funding for MoCRISP has been about $4.1 million and that a pending budget allocation would add $6 million from cannabis tax revenue to expand recovery support services. He said five peer respite centers…