St. Pete puts $1 million in opioid settlement money towards fighting crisis

St. Pete allocates $1 million to fight opioid crisis

Genevieve Curtis reports

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The city of St. Petersburg is allocating $1 million for non-profit organizations that help combat the opioid crisis with treatment and recovery support services.

The money comes from an opioid settlement, and St. Petersburg will get $6 million over 18 years.

"There's never enough help for addiction as rates continue to increase," said Matthew Schaefer, the director of operations for Real Recovery Solutions, which runs sober living facilities in Pinellas County and around the Tampa Bay region.

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While they are not eligible for the city grants themselves, they work with many non-profits that can use the grant money to sponsor someone.

"[Non-profits] will fund maybe two to three weeks of sober living. And give that recovering addict a chance to go find a job and start paying their own rent," said Schaefer.

The city said the money is available for non-profits that help with treatment and recovery services, overdose prevention and education. It prioritizes organizations focused on areas like respite housing and peer support.

"I think peer to peer oftentimes is the greatest way to get through to an addict. I’m in recovery myself. I'll often hear, there's nothing like one addict helping another," said Schaefer.

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Schaefer said one of the biggest needs he sees in our region is making detox treatment more accessible and affordable. Most detox centers in the Bay Area are privately funded and require full payment or insurance.

The ones that don’t have long wait lists to get a bed.

"[Addicts] are told, ‘hey, you know, we're three to five days out from a bed.’ There's a lack of resources for our underfunded or noninsured community. I think that that could be a big help. Unfortunately, that three to five days could really, truly be life or death," said Schaefer.

Non-profits have until October 20 to apply for part of the grant money through the City of St. Petersburg.

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