A new partnership between Middletown and Newport aims to help individuals and families at risk of falling through the cracks due to lack of housing, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, or other issues.
The initiative, known as the Situation Table, will connect emergency and social service providers in the two communities to help identify and support people in need before they reach a crisis point.
The program, which is expected to begin in early 2025, will involve confidential meetings between Middletown and Newport officials and community service providers every other week. The idea is to provide proactive support and make better use of existing resources, rather than duplicating efforts.
The Situation Table model is based on successful programs in other communities, such as Chelsea, Massachusetts, and Corvallis, Oregon. The emphasis is on early intervention and community safety.
“I wish we had thought of this 20 years ago,” said Middletown Town Council Vice President Thomas Welch III, a retired Newport firefighter.
The need for the program is clear in both communities. Middletown Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown mentioned a man who was planning to camp along Coddington Highway last summer. With the help of local agencies, the man was given a room at a local motel, but the incident illustrated the need for more readily available support.
Newport City Council approved the concept Dec. 11, followed by the Middletown Town Council Monday night. Each municipality will pay about $12,600 to cover the cost of implementation, training, and related expenses.
The Situation Table will be led by Newport Fire Chief Harp Donnelly, with Middletown’s end being overseen by Healthy Communities Coordinator Lori Turner. Among the organizations that have agreed to participate are Newport Hospital, Newport Mental Health, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Community Center, East Bay Community Action Program, and Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness.
“Together, we’ve been discussing this concept with community partners and with the City of Newport for over a year. I’m very excited to see this project move forward. I truly believe utilizing this model and prioritizing meeting together to discuss situations will only have a positive impact on the community and our residents,” Turner said.
Read more on this from the Town of Middletown, here.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
