OCALA, FL (352today) – The Marion County Board of County Commissioners approved funding for two critical initiatives under the county’s 2025–26 Regional Opioid Abatement Plan: the Marion County Coordinated Opioid Recovery (CORE) Network and the Wear Gloves Dignity House program. Both projects align with the plan’s priorities to strengthen the county’s connections to care and to support individuals in treatment and recovery.

Marion County is projected to receive more than $20 million over the next 18 years as its share of the historic Florida Opioid Settlement. The statewide settlement involves agreements with opioid manufacturers, distributors, and dispensers totaling more than $3 billion. Coordinated Opioid Recovery (CORE) Network

Coordinated Opioid Recovery (CORE) Network

The Marion County Coordinated Opioid Recovery (CORE) Network represents a unified effort between Marion County Fire Rescue, Ocala Fire Rescue, and SMA Healthcare to deliver a 24/7, evidence-based continuum of care for individuals struggling with substance use disorders, particularly opioid use disorder.

CORE was previously identified as a priority and approved in the 2024–25 Regional Opioid Abatement Plan. At this meeting, the county commission formally approved the program’s application and finalized the funding breakdown to support its implementation.

The program emphasizes rapid intervention, medication-assisted treatment, peer navigation, and long-term behavioral health support. Through this coordinated system, first responders and treatment providers ensure that individuals experiencing overdose or crisis are connected immediately to treatment rather than returning to cycles of emergency care.

The county commission approved a $750,000 allocation for the CORE Network, supported through a collaborative partnership that also includes funding from Lutheran Services Florida and the Marion County Hospital District. This funding will be instrumental in launching and sustaining the program by providing hands-on support, recovery coaching, and guidance to participants as they transition into treatment and long-term recovery.

The CORE Network’s outcomes will be closely tracked using evidence-based performance measures, including treatment retention, detox completion, and reduction in repeat overdoses. The initiative builds on prior state-supported CORE efforts and ensures the continuation of these lifesaving services as other statewide funds decline.

Wear Gloves Dignity House

The second approved project, Wear Gloves’ Dignity House, provides low-barrier transitional housing and wraparound recovery services for men experiencing homelessness and recovering from opioid use disorder and co-occurring mental health challenges.

Dignity House integrates trauma-informed care, peer mentorship, clinical counseling, job training, and case management within a safe and supportive residential environment. The facility currently serves 12 to 20 residents and is projected to expand to full capacity, with 60 beds, within three years.

The county commission approved $193,800 in opioid abatement funds to support staffing for case management, addiction and mental health coaching, peer advocacy, and transportation assistance.

Dignity House was made possible through an initial $1 million HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program grant and more than $300,000 in private investments from Wear Gloves. The organization’s sustainability plan includes social enterprise ventures such as Dignity Roasters coffee sales and city contracts to maintain operations beyond the life of opioid abatement funding.

A Collaborative Approach to Recovery

These two programs reflect Marion County’s ongoing commitment to addressing the opioid epidemic through evidence-based, community-driven solutions. By strengthening emergency response and expanding recovery-centered housing, Marion County is working to ensure that individuals affected by addiction have access to treatment, stability, and long-term recovery supports.