Cardinal Housing Network founder Hannah Bolton told the Douglas County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 1 that her organization is operating a women’s transitional sober-living group home in Lawrence and is developing family apartments, and that the program’s model relies on close partnerships with the county reentry program and local behavioral-health and recovery providers.

Bolton said the group-home policies, intake forms and relapse-prevention plans are documented and that the house at 1046 New Hampshire Street operates with a trauma-informed, peer-centered approach. “Housing is an essential component in recovery,” Bolton said, describing how residential, communal living can help people apply skills learned in treatment to daily life.

Program model and partnerships
- Cardinal’s current house provides peer and staff coverage: a staff support coordinator (identified in the presentation as Hope) is on-site Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; a peer live-in house manager covers evenings and weekends.
- The organization provides immediate move-in basics (toiletries, bedding, ADA accommodations) and does not require a deposit, Bolton said.
- Cardinal coordinates closely with Douglas County Reentry, which sponsors four beds that cover the first 30 days for some residents so they can focus on appointments and documentation before seeking employment. Reentry staff meet residents weekly during that initial phase and assist with documentation and service enrollment.
- Cardinal residents also access community services including intensive outpatient programs, medication-assisted treatment at local clinics, peer recovery coaching and mental-health services.

Population and capacity
Bolton told commissioners that women in Douglas County have access to far fewer recovery beds than men; the presentation stated there are only 15 beds available to women and children in the county. Cardinal is developing family-oriented policies for seven apartments on Ohio Street in partnership with Family Promise and the county reentry program.

Operational challenges and outcomes
Bolton and partners described common hurdles: residents arriving without documentation or financial resources, the need for transportation to medical and court appointments, and behavioral incidents tied to transitions from communal unsheltered settings to private housing. Bolton described recent program outcomes including a unanimous house-adopted revision to house rules after residents raised concerns, peer-to-peer support during crises and a resident able to address outstanding fines through community service coordinated by reentry and probation partners.

Quotes and front-line detail
- “Housing is an essential component in recovery,” Hannah Bolton said in her presentation.
- Angie Bauer, Tenants to Homeowners, described the individualized housing stabilization plan as a tool that brings providers and tenants together and “holds agencies accountable.”

What commissioners learned
Commissioners heard that Cardinal relies on multiple community partners (reentry, Family Promise, Heartland RADAC, Burt Nash and others) to provide a full spectrum of supports and that the agency’s operational model is not dependent on tenant-paid rent in the initial stabilization period for some residents.

Next steps
Cardinal will continue to develop family-centric policies and operationalize the Ohio Street apartments in coordination with Family Promise and county partners. Commissioners requested sample occupancy agreements, lease templates and housing-stabilization-plan forms so providers and landlords can adopt consistent, trauma-informed language and shared expectations.

Ending: Bolton asked for continued coordination and support from the county as Cardinal scales its model and partners with other local service providers.