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Oneida County updates COSSUP recovery services and advances planning for recovery housing
Summary
County staff updated the Board of Health Committee on a federal/state-funded Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) grant that runs through September 2026, described peer recovery and deflection partnerships, and said work is underway to plan recovery housing and seek funding extensions.
Vice Chair William “Casey” Crump and staff heard an update June 9 on Oneida County’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) and early planning for recovery housing.
Jennifer Chiamulera and Shelby Moore, who introduced themselves as program staff, told the Board that the COSSUP grant was received in 2023 and currently runs through September 2026; staff said they are working on an extension. They described program elements that include peer recovery services, expanded access to recovery housing, and a community response program that accepts referrals from law enforcement and other sources.
Chiamulera said the program has partnered with law enforcement on deflection initiatives and hosted a Law Enforcement Deflection Training in June with about nine agencies participating; she described it as the first training of its kind in the state. The Rhinelander Police Department participates locally, and a separate county diversion program operates independently, staff said.
On recovery housing, staff described ongoing planning to identify an operator, address zoning and policy issues, and recruit stakeholders. A recovery consultant has been hired to assist with planning, policy development, and coordination; a multi-stakeholder committee includes Board of Health representatives, county board members, local governments, people with lived experience and law enforcement. Staff characterized the project as grant-funded and time-limited and said they continue to seek funding and billing options through Human Services to support sustained services.
Funding sources noted by staff include grants and opioid settlement dollars; Human Services is exploring billing options and additional grants. The committee did not take formal action on the recovery housing plan at the meeting. The next procedural steps identified were continuing feasibility work, stakeholder recruitment, and identifying an operator and zoning pathway.
