Washington County awards contract for women's sober-living home; $1 million earmarked from opioid settlement

Washington County officials announced they awarded the contract to operate a women's sober-living facility to Pathways for a Better Living and that opioid-settlement funds will help support the project.

Julie, a Human Services staff member, said Pathways closed on a duplex in Hartford on Feb. 14 and that the property has capacity for eight women or fewer women plus children if bedrooms are needed for dependents. She said county and provider staff held a planning meeting on policies and operations and that the provider aims to accept its first resident in mid-March. Julie said the county will circulate details about an open-house date once it is set.

Julie also provided an update on opioid-settlement monies. She said the county has received $2.6 million through 2024 and has earmarked $1 million for the sober-living facility, leaving about $1.6 million currently unspent in the county's opioid fund balance. "Some places have given us payment upfront, seven years upfront. ... Our finance director and the treasurer's office are trying to track this as closely as possible," Julie said.

Julie said the county has already expended $25,000 in 2024 for a portion of an assistant county attorney position relating to the Coordinated Justice Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC). She said staff plan to revisit the community needs assessment that originally prioritized spending and to bring proposals for how to use remaining settlement dollars to the committee and possibly the county board for approval. Committee members stressed the need to prioritize sustainable and effective uses of the funds rather than recurring expenses that would outlast settlement receipts.

No formal roll-call vote was recorded in the meeting minutes excerpt; staff said the contract award had been made and that administrative steps were proceeding to place the facility into service.