Next Step Recovery Housing New Residential Facility

[Little Rock, Arkansas] In response to increases in overdose deaths in the state of Arkansas and across the country, Next Step Recovery Housing will open a new residential facility in Johnson County with a $395,400 grant funded by the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (ARORP).

Johnson County currently has a great need for recovery housing; Next Step’s existing 10-bed facility has historically been the only male recovery housing provider in the county.

“In the last sixty days, we have had to turn away over 50 men seeking recovery housing,” says Next Step Recovery Housing Director Chelsea Mcgill. “Next Step's mission is to provide stable housing while educating on substance use avoidance and awareness, within a family style environment, led by a Peer Support Specialist," Mcgill said. "Education is critical to our program for intergenerational substance use prevention."

The new Clarksville facility will increase the availability of recovery & treatment services for Johnson County, serving 30 men in early recovery in addition to Next Step’s existing 10-bed facility. The project came with the overwhelming support of Johnson County Judge Herman Houston, Clarksville Mayor David Rieder, and the Clarksville community.

“The City of Clarksville is honored to have Next Step Recovery Housing in our community,” says Clarksville Mayor David Rieder. “They are saving lives and creating second chances, making this community and world a better place.”

The project will be funded by opioid settlement dollars from the Arkansas Association of Counties (AAC) and the Arkansas Municipal League (AML). The AAC and AML formed a partnership, ARORP, to oversee the strategic disbursement of opioid settlement dollars at the city and county levels.

“This partnership represents wrongs made right, a significant step to abate the loss families and individuals have experienced due to opioid misuse and addiction," says ARORP Director Kirk Lane. “The Clarksville project will be the first recovery housing to be funded by opioid settlement dollars. We’re looking forward to funding more throughout cities and counties in Arkansas.”

For more information about Next Step Recovery Housing and availability, visit www.nextsteprecoveryhousing.org or call (501) 777-1881.