Manatee County’s push to link addiction treatment with housing just got a national audience. Earlier this month, Commissioner Amanda Ballard and outreach case manager Angie Sciarrone headed to Washington, D.C., to lay out how the county’s “ecosystem of care” works on the ground, from street outreach to treatment beds and long-term housing. Their pitch put local efforts like Under One Roof and the Fresh Start Initiative in front of federal decision-makers, and county officials say they returned with new contacts they hope will help expand services back home.
What the White House convening sought
According to The White House, the two-day “Best Practices for Addiction Treatment Within Homelessness” summit brought together the Office of National Drug Control Policy with HHS and HUD to spotlight models that connect addiction treatment with housing and recovery supports. Federal officials described the gathering as a step toward building a national toolkit that communities can use to replicate programs that actually work.
Manatee’s on-the-ground approach
On the home front, Manatee’s strategy leans on coordinated outreach and wraparound services instead of stand-alone programs. The Bradenton Herald reported that the Under One Roof Gateway South shelter opened last October to serve women who have experienced addiction and trauma. The first phase of the Fresh Start Initiative includes a 62-bed shelter, with construction slated to begin in late April and more beds planned in a later phase. Spectrum’s Bay News 9 noted that the county has also teamed up with a long-term treatment facility in Baltimore, which has enrolled more than 160 Manatee residents in yearlong recovery programs.
What they told ABC7
Back from D.C., Ballard and Sciarrone sat down on ABC 7 News at Noon with anchor Summer Smith and explained that Manatee was one of only 25 communities invited to present its strategies. In the interview, posted by ABC 7/WWSB, they walked through how the county blends outreach, behavioral health care and housing placements to move people off the streets and into treatment. The county also highlighted the trip on its official Facebook page, which is embedded above.
Next steps at home
County leaders say the new federal connections could help strengthen Fresh Start and widen referral pathways for people who need longer-term care. As the Bradenton Herald reported, the second phase of Fresh Start could bring another 84 beds online later this year, and officials are focused on lining up funding and service partners to scale up programs that have shown results.
Why the visit matters
Local officials cast the White House visit as a two-way street: a chance to help shape federal guidance while borrowing ideas from other jurisdictions facing the same crises. If the summit’s findings do turn into a usable national toolkit, counties like Manatee could gain clearer, evidence-based roadmaps for tying treatment directly to housing. According to The White House, the summit’s outcomes are expected to feed into a national model aimed at improving both recovery and housing outcomes for people experiencing homelessness.
