Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Over $3 Million for Supportive Housing for Individuals and Families in Recovery

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Over $3 Million for Supportive Housing for Individuals and Families in Recovery   Funding to provide access to transitional living environments for people in early recovery from substance use disorder   BOSTON (December 18, 2025) – As part of its ongoing efforts to combat the overdose crisis, the Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced over $3 million in grants to six organizations to provide housing and supportive services to families and individuals in early recovery from substance use disorder.   The awards include $2.1 million in annual funding over two years to four organizations across the state to establish a new supportive living program for residents in early recovery and who may have a history of homelessness, co-occurring illness, and/or mental health conditions. The organizations receiving awards ranging from $250,000 to $800,000 a year are: Bay Cove Human Services in Cambridge, GAAMHA in Gardner, Gándara Center in Springfield, and Mental Health Association in Springfield.    Additionally, up to $1.5 million in grants is available this fiscal year to help expand existing transitional housing and supportive services aimed at families in early recovery from substance use disorders. Two new awardees, the Brien Center in Pittsfield and the Vietnamese American Civic Association in Boston, will join a roster of six community-based organizations already providing recovery housing, case management services, and other supports across the state to pregnant and parenting women and to men in recovery with their children.   “Recovery from substance use isn’t one-size-fits-all – it can depend on different factors for each individual, which is why it’s so important that we invest comprehensively in housing alongside support services to give people the best chance at recovery,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Kiame Mahaniah, MD, MBA. “These programs will equip residents with the tools they need to maintain future housing stability and support long-term recovery and wellness.”   “The first months of recovery from substance use can feel precarious as individuals begin to establish new routines while trying to maintain sobriety. The unfortunate statistical reality is that most people relapse within the first year,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “By removing barriers to stable housing and providing access to community-based services and resources, we aim to clear the path so that residents in early recovery can rebuild their lives with dignity and support.”    The recovery supportive living programs for families and individuals provide a transitional alcohol- and drug-free living environment that includes case management services, as well as community-based supports that encourage the development of independent living skills. Those in the family program are given the tools to enhance their ability to balance parenting, recovery, and other priorities to achieve self-sufficiency and family stability.    “We know that access to safe, stable housing is a crucial component to supporting an individual’s or family’s substance use recovery journey,” said Deirdre Calvert, Director of the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services at DPH. “These programs will foster living environments in which individuals and families in recovery can work toward independent living—all within a supportive community and in ways that resonate with their own needs and goals.”   Grant recipients were selected for their ability to provide ongoing supportive case management for families with parents in recovery during the transition period from residential services, as well as for their extensive experience in housing, substance use, and recovery support.    The recovery supportive program for individuals is funded by the State Opioid Response (SOR) federal grant from the Substance Addiction and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The family supportive living program is funded through a combination of federal block grant and state funding.