Indiana announces new program to develop housing for people with substance use disorders

Indiana wants to create rental housing projects with supportive services for people with substance use disorders. The project is being funded with $10 million in National Opioid Settlement funds.

The goal of the program is for a nonprofit developer to partner with a certified treatment provider or recovery community organization. The provider or organization will provide residents with supportive services, “including but not limited to case management, mental health counseling, substance abuse counseling, life skills and coaching.”

The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) said it will begin accepting proposals from developers in late September. It will “evaluate” the proposals and select four applicants to receive up to $2.5 million each. Each proposal must identify the nonprofit developer, the certified service provider and the location of the proposed development.

The selection committee includes staff from the IHCDA, the Governor’s Office, and the Mental Health and Addiction Division of the Family and Social Services Agency.

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The IHCDA said it would select the highest scoring proposals from three geographic regions of the state: North, Central and South. The fourth proposal would be selected based on the score, regardless of location. However, it said the selection based on geographic distribution would depend on the quality and number of responses received.

The IHCDA will hold a meeting and networking event at its office on September 19 to provide information and answer questions. It will also create a list of nonprofit developers and service providers on its website to connect interested individuals.

Abigail is our health reporter. You can reach her at [email protected].