photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

An all-terrain vehicle used by the Homeless Response Team is pictured on Dec. 11, 2024.

The City of Lawrence has been awarded $200,000 for its “City of Lawrence Fights Addiction” project, which is spearheaded by the Homeless Response Team.

Kansas Fights Addiction on Thursday announced the recipients of more than $6 million in grants to support substance use disorder, or SUD, services across the state, including in Lawrence.

“Helping people with Substance Use Disorder is an essential part of our work to end chronic homelessness in this community,” said Misty Bosch-Hastings, director of the city’s Homeless Solutions Division. “We are so appreciative of this funding from Kansas Fights Addiction as it will allow us to continue our work with trained medical professionals and other partners in this community.”

The city said in a news release Friday that grant funds would allow the city to expand and enhance its Homeless Response Team to more effectively serve individuals experiencing homelessness and substance use disorder, including:

* Extending the contract with the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority to fund an advanced practice registered nurse position on the team.

* Contracting with Heartland RADAC to add a peer support specialist to the team to provide lived-experience support to individuals with substance use disorder.

* Partnering with first responders from the Lawrence Police Department and Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical to more rigorously track overdose data.

* Distributing increased supplies of Naloxone to first responders and Homeless Response Team members along with trainings on its usage, trauma-informed care and harm reduction.