Douglas County commissioners approved a pilot project that will turn tiny homes at the community shelter into extended-stay housing.
The pilot will use three of the 12 shipping container shelters currently at the Lawrence Community Shelter as part of the Monarch Village.
Those Monarch CARES, or Crisis And Respite Extended Stay, units will be designated for longer stays of 30 days or more to provide support for people with complex needs who need a place to recover and receive care.
The commission voted 4-1 Wednesday to approve the pilot project, with Commissioner Erica Anderson opposed.
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The pilot will last until the end of the year and cost $36,500, including an updated agreement with the community shelter and money set aside for health services.
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That money is coming from the county’s behavioral health sales tax, a quarter-cent sales tax levied by the county for behavioral health initiatives.
The commission learned more about the plan during a work session last week.
Anderson said she was concerned about whether the program would hold people accountable for behavioral change, like stopping substance use.
“Individuals need to be ready for behavior change,” Anderson said. “It’s not that I necessarily have the right answer for this program, but what I’m seeing right here in front of us today, I’m seeing active addiction and us using taxpayer dollars to support active addiction for individuals that are not yet ready for behavior change.”
Bob Tryanski, the county’s director of behavioral health projects, said the program was designed to have a low bar of entry, and said it could help save lives for some of the county’s most vulnerable people.
Commissioner Shannon Reid said taxpayer dollars are already being spent to address issues stemming from substance use and behavioral health struggles. She advocated for the commission to continue closing gaps in services.
“There is always personal responsibility involved in each individual’s trajectory moving forward, but there is also collective, social, community responsibility,” Reid said.
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Cuyler Dunn (he/him), staff reporter, has worked with The Lawrence Times since April 2022. He can be reached at [email protected].
Read his complete bio at this link. Read more of his work for the Times at this link.
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