As part of efforts to reduce overdose deaths and decrease disparities, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is providing $2.5 million to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to expand access to recovery housing for people across Michigan struggling with opioid use disorder and any co-occurring substance use disorders or mental health conditions. Funding is being made available through Michigan’s opioid settlement funds. The announcement was published in a release Wednesday.

“Housing insecurity serves as a risk factor for opioid use disorder and overdose death, and stable recovery housing provides critical support for individuals in recovery,” MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel is quoted as saying in the release. “To help address disparities, we are prioritizing the needs of vulnerable populations as we distribute settlement dollars across the state. MSHDA’s partnership on this initiative will ensure this important support is available to more Michigan residents participating in treatment and recovery.”

The new MSHDA Recovery Housing Investment Program will award forgivable loans (grants) to state-certified and accredited recovery and rehabilitation facilities, after a request-for-proposals process. Grantees will be able to purchase or lease single-family homes or small multifamily properties for use as recovery housing. This investment is expected to result in an additional 40-60 recovery homes for 250-350 people.

The release defines recovery residences as peer residential communities where individuals who identify as living with a substance use disorder learn recovery management skills over an extended period, while engaging in meaningful community-based activities including employment, education and volunteerism. Stable and reliable housing is a form of recovery capital for individuals in treatment and recovery and addresses a social determinant of health needed to seek and maintain long-term recovery. Recovery houses are also referred to as sober living homes.

As defined by MDHHS, recovery houses are run by residents who self-govern and take turns acting as house manager; many peer-supported recovery houses like this are part of a well-known network called Oxford House. However, in another type of recovery house, professional staff, paid house managers and/or other staff are present to monitor residents’ well-being, administer drug tests and perform administrative or other tasks on-site, said New Paradigm Addiction Treatment Recovery Program.

Recovery houses differ from halfway houses. A halfway house, according to High Focus Treatment Centers, is a state-funded facility that provides residents with transitional housing after rehabilitation for drug and/or alcohol abuse. They provide people with more than simply a place to live; halfway houses also provide residents with group and individual therapy, psychiatric services and medication management.

Whether a halfway house or a recovery house, both are important in substance use recovery and aftercare, as the person with an SUD begins the transition from inpatient treatment to life after “rehab.”

“At MSHDA, we are moving quickly to provide housing solutions that work for all Michiganders,” Amy Hovey, MSHDA chief executive officer and executive director is quoted as saying. “For those seeking recovery, lifting the burden of finding and maintaining housing can reduce homelessness, increase opportunities, and give those seeking help the dignity they deserve to get their lives back on track.”

Like other forms of affordable housing, Michigan needs more recovery housing due to a lack of availability in many areas of the state, particularly in the Upper Peninsula.

The release states that priority will be given to special populations and the 24 counties of highest need, based on data from the MDHHS Michigan Overdose Data to Action Dashboard. All applicants with Tribal entities will be prioritized even if the county is not on the list.

Applicants selected for funding through the RFP process must be certified by the Michigan Association of Recovery Residences and/or the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.

Michigan is slated to receive nearly $1.6 billion from national opioid settlements by 2040, with half being distributed to the State of Michigan Opioid Healing and Recovery Fund and the other half being distributed directly to county, city and township governments.