New Code Blue Shelter opens in the city | News, sports, jobs

From left to right, Code Blue Manager Victor Flores and Recovery Options Made Easy CEO Shannon Higbee stand in front of the new Code Blue Shelter at 917 Washington St., Jamestown. PJ photo by Michael Zabrodsky

Recovery options made easy has a new Code Blue Shelter in Chautauqua County.

It is located at 917 Washington St., Jamestown, and is open on Code Blue designated evenings from Friday through April 30, 2025.

Shannon Higbee, CEO of Recovery Options, said Recovery Options has more than 30 years of experience providing housing, respite and support services throughout Western New York.

Higbee said the shelter is different from a Code Blue Hotel in that a shelter acts as a warming center.

Code Blue shelter, Higbee said, is provided to single men and women who do not qualify for temporary housing assistance in Chautauqua County and to homeless people when the temperature is 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

“So if it’s 32 degrees or lower with wind chill and it’s called Code Blue, people come here first. If we are full, we will refer directly to the Code Blue hotels to make sure that once we are full, they can fill those spaces as well,” Higbee said.

When guests come to the shelter, they end up in a warm, safe space. There are cots, crib mats and blankets to make guests comfortable. Once there, guests will receive hot drinks, hot dishes and snacks, as well as a breakfast bar. Guests also have the option to receive support services, Higbee said.

Higbee added that there will be two people on duty each evening, in addition to security personnel.

“We run two shifts,” Higbee noted. “We open from 5:30 p.m. and then close at 7:30 a.m. So we have two shifts,” Higbee said.

A shift change takes place at midnight.

“So every night four separate individuals cover the site, and that gives individuals (guests) the opportunity to meet a number of people who they can potentially get in touch with, and we can potentially get in touch with them and make relationships with them to develop. to encourage them to take advantage of services in the community,” Higbee said.

Recovery Options Made Easy is a peer-run nonprofit organization, Higbee says, that provides multiple recovery supports in 10 counties in Western New York and the Finger Lakes regions to individuals with mental health issues. Services include supportive housing, community-based recovery services and crisis response programs, including crisis respite and warmlines. In recognition of the complexities associated with addressing mental health issues, Recovery Options applies trauma-informed strategies that focus on an individual’s needs, with the goal of de-escalating a mental health crisis and aiding lifelong recovery .

“Our team looks forward to welcoming those in need of a safe and supportive environment where they can warm up, grab a bite to eat, interact with our highly trained staff and sleep every designated night during the Code Blue season,” Higbee said. .

For more information, visit recoveryoptionsny.org.