INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – In late March, Indiana state officials started a program to provide the homeless with safe locations to recover from COVID-19. Now, officials are expanding who can use these resources.
Indiana’s Safe Recovery Sites program was designed for individuals who are experiencing homelessness to complete quarantine.
Leaders with the Family and Social Services Administration say they are working with local hotels, homeless providers, and health care teams, to find safe locations for those at-risk to isolate.
The program started in five different areas of the state and has now expanded across Indiana.
State officials say they have already seen the impact it has had on reducing cases of COVID-19.
“Because of the ability to immediately refer COVID positive or symptomatic individuals experiencing homelessness from shelters, directly from emergency departments and local health departments, we have effectively prevented an additional level of public health crisis,” said Dr. Jennifer Sullivan, secretary of Indiana FSSA.
Sullivan announced on Wednesday that the safe recovery sites program will now be available for those experiencing domestic violence, those living in group homes with substance use disorder, and those with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
There are fourteen safe recovery sites listed by FSSA, one of those include Mental Health America of West Central Indiana.
