Delaware
Delaware groups collaborate to bridge the gaps between substance use and homelessness
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How can Delaware best coordinate its efforts to address the state’s high rate of substance abuse and overdose deaths while helping those Delawareans experiencing homelessness?
That was the basis of a meeting of community advocates, state leaders, and the state Department of Health and Social Services.
Housing challenges are a common issue for those struggling with addiction or those in the process of recovery, said Joanna Champney, director of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.
“Reports from our behavioral health treatment providers indicate that when people enter mental health treatment in Delaware, 13% were totally homeless at admission. For people entering addiction treatment in Delaware, 7% were totally homeless,” she said. “When we broaden the scope to looking at people getting treatment who are not just completely homeless and on the street, but we also include those who are housing unstable, the percentage unfortunately gets even worse.”
The correlation between housing and substance use disorder is evident, she noted.
According to her statistics, 67% of clients benefiting from services funded by the federal Statewide Opioid Response Grant faced housing instability throughout the fiscal year 2023.
As a result, DHSS rolled out the Recovery Support Scholarship program in March 2021, allowing treatment providers to extend housing support to individuals in treatment facing emergencies. Following this, DSAMH promptly assesses and approves the applications.
“Using the recovery support scholarship, an addiction treatment provider can fund a seven-day hotel stay, a one-time, one-month rental assistance, one-time security deposit or one month of Oxford House rent,” Champney said.
In addition to that program, the state received two grants from the Prescription Opioid Settlement Distribution Commission, totaling $700,000. An additional $1.2 million has been secured from the Delaware Criminal Justice Council through the Comprehensive Opioid Stimulant and Substance Abuse Site-Based Program, which was allocated explicitly for housing support.
Through the “Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness” or PATH, part of the allocated funds support street outreach and in-reach supportive services statewide.
“A total of 675 individuals were served with PATH services this past grant year. Of the 675 persons served, 263 were enrolled through Street Outreach Services, and 412 were enrolled through Supportive Service activities,” said Karen Record, chief of social determinants at DSAMH. “These clients received diagnostic screening case management and referrals including but not limited to temporary and permanent housing services placement, substance use treatment, mental health treatment, personalized social services physical health appointments, and healthcare insurance access.”
The Delaware Police Officer Standards and Training Commission recently announced that the Dewey Beach Police Department and Rehoboth Beach Police Department have both earned state accreditation from the Delaware Police Accreditation Commission.
As part of the rigorous process, a team of DPAC assessors ensured all accreditation standards were met by completing comprehensive, on-site inspections of each agency, reviewing their policies and procedures for compliance, and conducting interviews with department members.
“This milestone represents a significant step forward for public safety in Delaware. The initial state accreditation of these police agencies reflects a strong commitment to professionalism, accountability and excellence in law enforcement. I commend each department for their dedication to serving their communities with integrity and for upholding the highest standards,” said Joshua Bushweller, Department of Safety and Homeland Security secretary and DPAC chair.
Dover, Del. – Three farms, one from each of Delaware’s counties, were inducted into the Century Farm Program by the state Department of Agriculture on Thursday at the Delaware Agricultural Museum.
Each of the family farms has been owned and operated for at least a century. Each received a sign for their farms, an engraved plate and legislative tributes.
In addition to Secretary of Agriculture, Don Clifton, and Deputy Secretary Jimmy Kroon, state Senators David Wilson (R – District 18) and Kyra Hoffner (D – District 14) were also in attendance.
Wright Family Farms are located in Harrington in Kent County. In 1919, the farm was purchased by William Wright. Over a century later, William’s grandson, Ronald, is the owner and his great-grandson, Greg, said he hopes to continue the family legacy by buying the farm from his father.
Although the event celebrated each family for their hard work and resilience, it also highlighted the challenges farmers have to surmount to stay in business today, let alone for a hundred years.
“The price of equipment, the price of fertilizer, the price of seed, everything is just gone up,” Greg said. “So, you know, everything’s going up that we gotta purchase just to stay in business.”
Clifton, Kroon and Wilson also echoed difficulties in balancing the need to preserve agricultural land with the need to develop housing and sustainable energy projects like solar power.
“I know housing is very important, and we want people to always have good housing, but at some point, I think you’re going to saturate the area with more houses than you have food to feed these people,” Wilson said.
Kroon also said there are difficulties in keeping future generations motivated to stay in farming.
“When you think about it in the context of multi-generational farm families, there’s a real long-term challenge where a new generation may think twice about whether they want to keep farming if it’s always a struggle,” he said.
Clifton said farming has always been a challenging way of life, but it has been so since time immemorial.
“These families, their experience shows that they have an appreciation for the way of life and perseverance and that’s to be honored and emulated to the greatest extent possible,” he said.
Greg said he hopes to pass down the way of life so that his family legacy can live on for another hundred years, as well as for other families.
“A hundred years as the same family tilling the land, that’s, you know, that’s an honor right there,” Greg said. “And I hope that more farmers who are close to 100 years old will be doing the same thing. You know, keep it in the family.”
An investigation is underway after police said a man’s body was pulled from the Delaware River in South Philadelphia.
According to police, around 9 a.m. on Friday, April 17, 2026, emergency responders pulled an unidentified man from the Delaware River, near the Navy Yard. Medic’s pronounced the man dead at 9:11 a.m.
Léelo en español aquí.
SkyForce10 flew above as police and other first responders were on the scene.
NBC10
NBC10
Police are working to determine the circumstances of the incident and identify the man.
This is a developing story; check back here for updates.
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