Lighthouse Recovery Community Center awarded $180,000 from Wisconsin DHS for new construction

MANITOWOC, Wis. (WBAY) - On Thursday afternoon, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services awarded $10 million to three organizations for the construction of spaces designed to provide treatment and recovery support services for women.

According to the news release, the National Prescription Opiate Litigation Settlement funds were awarded in 2022 after the state settled with pharmaceutical companies following legal claims that their actions fueled an epidemic of an opioid use disorder, overdoses, and deaths.

Over the next 18 years, the Department of Health Services is expected to receive $130 million. The first payment from the settlement, $31 million, was received during the last five months of 2022.

The Lighthouse Recovery Community Center in Manitowoc received $180,000.

“In the case of the Lighthouse Recovery Community Center, they were one of the top three scores and it was a very strong application, supporting some very much needed services in the area and we’re really excited to be able to be funding them,” Paul Krupski, DHS Director of Opioid Initiatives said.

Krupski said this project will create the first space in Northeast Wisconsin focused on supporting pregnant women and mothers in need of safe and stable housing for their families while they participate in outpatient treatment.

With the new funds, the community center will be able to house up to seven women at one time when renovations are completed on its existing building in 2024.

Arbor Place in Menomonie and Meta House in Glendale received approximately $4.9 million for their respective construction projects.

Krupski said the DHS wanted to award funds to centers like Lighthouse Recovery because a specialized level of care and treatment is needed for this population.

“Obviously, if we can get them into treatment, we’re lowering the risk of an overdose possibility while they are pregnant, or after they have given birth,” Krupski said. “We’re ensuring that there are fewer drug interactions with other drugs that they may be taking because of the pregnancy or post-childbirth.”

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