New substance abuse treatment beds for homeless could be coming to Wichita
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – More treatment options for addiction could be on the way for homeless people in Wichita.
The city is looking into funding substance abuse treatment beds specifically for people without housing.
According to the City of Wichita, substance abuse is prevalent among homeless people, but treatment can be difficult to access because they don’t have insurance.
The city will vote Tuesday on whether to use $140,000 from its liquor tax funds to pay for inpatient treatment beds for unhoused people through the nonprofit DCCCA, a group that offers both substance and mental health help.
If Wichita’s City Council approves funding Tuesday, DCCCA will have 20 additional beds for homeless men, women and women with kids to get substance abuse treatment. Patients would be referred from homeless care coordination teams identified by the city.
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“These individuals would not be able to access services at just any place because they don’t have a way to pay for those services,” said Donna Gorma, DCCCA Wichita Behavioral Health Services program director. “What the city funding does for us is it expands our ability to provide services.”
Gorman said homeless people are often in need of the 28-day residential treatment program.
“Many of the clients, by the time they get to us, they have lost a lot,” Gorman said. “They have lost homes, employment, family connections.”
She said those losses make them more susceptible to homelessness because it’s difficult to sustain safe, sober housing.
“Because there’s so many challenges when an individual is homeless when they discharge treatment, it’s important they have community-based services that they can still continue with,” Gorman said.
If approved, the funding from the city would also be used to connect people with resources after they complete treatment at DCCCA.
“If they don’t have a safe place, if they don’t have a way to continue their mental health and treatment services, it’s very likely they will continue to use,” Gorman said.
According to DCCCA, if the funding is approved, it will likely be an annual allocation to last for two years that would pay for those 20 treatment beds specifically for the unhoused.
There is a possibility of renewing the agreement down the line.
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