Pima County (December 9, 2025) -- The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Nov. 18 to allocate opioid settlement funds toward a new medically supported sobering facility designed to assist individuals experiencing substance use disorder.
The Board approved a $1.8 million contract with Community Bridges, Inc. to establish the Sobering Alternative to Recovery (SAFR) Center at 250 S. Toole Ave. Limited operations are scheduled to begin in December, with full referrals from EMS, law enforcement, hospitals, and walk-ins expected to launch in January or February 2026.
Community Bridges will partner with CODAC Health, Recovery & Wellness, and the University of Arizona School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness to operate the center.
The SAFR Center is part of a broader network of initiatives that address substance use and addiction in Pima County. It also aligns with the Board’s approval of the One Pima Initiative, a regional strategy to enhance public safety, expand treatment and recovery services, strengthen housing stability, protect public health, and improve the Chuck Huckelberry Loop and other County-managed public spaces. Establishing the SAFR Center and expanding diversion programs that redirect individuals from jail into treatment are key priorities within the initiative.
“The opioid epidemic has had alarming ripple effects nationwide and in our own community,” said Board Chair Rex Scott. “The SAFR Center will enable us to ensure individuals in crisis are stabilized and connected to treatment and recovery resources while prioritizing public safety.”
The Pima County Health Department will oversee the facility and track performance metrics, including referral volume, client demographics, arrival times, housing and employment status, insurance coverage, substance use patterns, service referrals, and length of stay. The center will also monitor client outcomes 30, 60, and 90 days after intake and solicit feedback from first responders, partner organizations, and staff.
The SAFR Center also supports the goals of the County’s Prosperity Initiative, a regional collaboration focused on reducing generational poverty and ensuring young people have the resources needed to achieve long-term economic stability.
Funding comes through the One Arizona Agreement, which allocates $1.215 billion in opioid settlement dollars over 18 years to jurisdictions statewide. The Pima County region is designated to receive $126.8 million, with the Health Department serving as the lead agency responsible for managing local funds and coordinating payments to municipalities.
In a Nov. 14 memo, Dr. Theresa Cullen, director of the Health Department, emphasized the County’s comprehensive approach to substance-use response, noting the department’s national recognition for best practices in advancing health equity, preventing avoidable deaths, and strengthening community resilience.
The initial SAFR Center contract runs through June 30, 2026, with two optional one-year renewals.