SAFFORD — The next phase for helping those dealing with substance abuse issues is moving forward, and Graham County stepped up to help.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the request by Graham County Attorney L. Scott Bennett to use $160,000 in opioid settlement funds for the development of a women’s sober living facility.
“This is a settlement; this isn’t tax-payer money,” said Bennett, “and this is specifically designated for a purpose such as this.”
Currently, the county has $188, 302 in settlement funds available. Use of the funds is allowable under the terms of the settlement with opioid manufacturers and distributors, which allows the money to be spent providing “access to housing for people with OUD (opioid use disorder) and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions, co-usage, and/or co-addictions, including supportive housing, recovery housing, housing assistance programs, or training for housing providers.”
Supervisor John Howard, who serves as board chairman for the Marge Schade House of Hope Sober Living Facility for men, recused himself from the vote. He said the mens’ facility’s success is being used a blueprint for development of a similar facility for women.
“It’s going to take $700,000 to build it,” Howard said. “If this funding is approved, we’ll be up close to the $500,000 mark it looks like, so we don’t have that far to go.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 2:43 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023, to correct the day of the Supervisors’ meeting.
