Today, Gov. Ned Lamont announced the investment of $58.6 million towards the state’s Housing as Recovery initiative, which will house and offer addiction services to residents experiencing opioid addiction and homelessness. The $58.6 million in funding represents a small slice of the over $600 million that the state has either received or is expected to receive from multi-state settlements with pharmaceutical companies found culpable for the nation’s opioid crisis.
“Stable housing is directly related to the ability of individuals facing addiction to successfully recover,” said Lamont. “Using this settlement funding to support housing for people who have opioid use disorder is a way that we can make an impact in getting people’s lives turned around and on a stable path toward recovery.”
Housing as Recovery, which will be overseen by both the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) and the Department of Housing (DOH), will provide rental subsidies, case managers, and other resources to recovering addicts. The state has estimated that this initial injection of funding is enough to provide services to 500 opioid users over the next four years, with $14.25 million being released each year.
The initiative represents the largest expenditure of money from the state’s Opioid Settlement Fund made thus far by the state’s Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee, both of which were established by a bill passed in 2022. The committee is composed of numerous state agency officials, legislators, municipal representatives, mental health service providers, and residents with lived experience with opioid addiction. It is responsible for the disbursement of the Opioid Settlement Fund, which is to be used solely for the purpose of combating the state’s opioid epidemic.
The program will provide eligible residents with Rental Assistance Program vouchers, which are issued by the DOH for the purpose of subsidizing housing for low-income residents. It will also provide $9,500 per individual for the assignment of case managers, and connection to services such as treatment programs, financial guidance, and tenancy skills development. An additional $5,000 will be set aside for each individual to cover security deposits, furniture and utility payments.
Tong has been party to several multi-state lawsuits in recent years, targeting pharmaceutical companies who have played a role in creating and accelerating the nation’s opioid crisis. Tong successfully secured $13.9 million for Connecticut from Mallinckrodt in 2020, a combined $307.5 million from McKinsey, and Johnson & Johnson and their distributors in 2021, and an additional $95 million from Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, the creators of OxyContin. Tong settled several suits against CVS and Walgreens, Endo, Allergan, Teva, and Publicis in 2022, which will provide further funding for the Opioid Settlement Fund in future years.
“Over the past five-plus years, Connecticut has led the nation in securing $50 billion to combat the opioid epidemic, including $600 million for Connecticut alone,” Attorney General William Tong said. “We’ve said since day one that those funds would be used to support treatment, prevention and recovery – to save lives. This announcement delivers on that promise, providing millions of dollars for safe, stable housing and support for our friends and neighbors at the most vulnerable points of their recovery.”
The program represents a “housing first” approach to the opioid crisis, recognizing the intersection of homelessness and addiction. Per the state’s own records, over 4,500 state residents are homeless, and an approximate 30% of them have substance use disorders.
“Housing is a cornerstone of recovery,” said Nancy Navarretta, DMHAS Commissioner. “By ensuring access to stable housing and providing personalized support, we are offering individuals not just a second chance, but the tools to sustain recovery and build a brighter future. This is about dignity, opportunity, and creating pathways to a healthier future.”
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This looks great on paper but can we see where the funds have gone?