Council OKs $350,000 in opioid settlement funds for peer recovery services

The Melbourne City Council approved a budget resolution and a two-year contract totaling $350,000 to fund peer recovery and wraparound services delivered by Recovery Connections of Central Florida, city staff reported on May 26.

Rebecca T. Bear, assistant to the city manager, told council these allocations are drawn from the city’s opioid settlement funds and will pay for peer-support intake and ongoing support, outreach, transportation (Uber/Lyft) and transitional housing assistance. Staff emphasized the city would not fund medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with these dollars because county and regional opioid-abatement funds already underwrite those services in Brevard County.

Stephanie Marson, director of development for Recovery Connections, said the organization will reserve Melbourne-designated funds for residents who are homeless or exiting treatment or incarceration within Melbourne, and that the provider uses a recovery-data platform (RDP) to log interactions and report monthly metrics. Marson said the model pairs certified peer specialists with wraparound services and that participants who remain engaged show measurable improvement on a ‘‘recovery capital’’ scale.

Council members asked about duplication of services and oversight. Staff said the contract will be administered through the Housing & Urban Improvement division; monthly progress reports and documentation of Melbourne residency will be required before payments are processed. The council approved Resolution 4417 and the contract award; the motion carried unanimously.