From left, 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. P-J 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 it will be open on Code Blue designated nights beginning Friday through April 30, 2025.

Recovery Options CEO Shannon Higbee said Recovery Options has more than 30 years of experience delivering housing, respite and supportive services across Western New York.

Higbee said the shelter is different from a Code Blue Hotel in that a shelter functions 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 individuals when the temperature is 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

“So when it’s 32 degrees or below with wind chill, and Code Blue is called, folks will come here first, when we are full, then we will be referring directly to the Code Blue hotels to make sure that once we are full, they can then fill in those spaces as well,” Higbee said.

When guests come to the shelter, they come to be in a warm, safe space. There are cots, cot mats, and blankets to make guests comfortable. Once there, guests receive hot beverages, hot food, and snacks as well as a breakfast bar. Guests also have the opportunity to receive support services, Higbee said.

Higbee added that there will be two people on duty every night as well as security staff.

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

At midnight, there is a shift change.

“So each night, four separate individuals cover the site, and that gives opportunity for individuals (guests) to meet a number of people who they may be able to connect with, and we may be able to engage with, and develop relationships with them to help encourage them to take advantage of the services in the community,” Higbee said.

Recovery Options Made Easy is a peer-run, not-for-profit organization, Higbee said, that provides multiple recovery supports across 10 counties in Western New York and the Finger Lakes Regions to individuals experiencing mental health concerns. Services include supportive housing, community-based recovery services, and crisis response programs including crisis respites and warmlines. In recognition of the complexities involved in addressing mental health distress, Recovery Options applies trauma-informed strategies focused on an individual’s needs, with the goals of de-escalating a mental health crisis, as well as aiding in lifelong recovery.

“Our team looks forward to welcoming people in need of a safe and supportive environment where they can warm up, have a bite to eat, interact with our well-trained staff, and sleep each designated night through the Code Blue season,” Higbee noted.

For more information visit recoveroptionsny.org.