MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont’s opioid crisis was in the spotlight at the Statehouse Wednesday as lawmakers heard about the need to expand recovery options for those with substance abuse disorder.
“Existing with life on life’s terms, it was really hard to do that without drugs and alcohol, but it was killing me,” said Whitney White with the Vermont Foundation of Recovery, which runs a network of seven recovery homes across the state. “Now, I know a sense of joy and freedom that I never thought possible.”
White says she thought her life was over at 24 and that getting sober was impossible. But when she got a spot at a recovery residence, she says everything changed. “Now I know a sense of joy and freedom that I never thought possible,” she said.
White was among those who spoke to Vermont lawmakers as part of Recovery Day, an annual advocacy celebration of substance use recovery. She spoke about the extent to which recovery residences like the one she works at now are underfunded and the consequences of that. “Right now we’re sort of at a standstill, where we’re not really able to grow beyond what we are now,” she said
New Hampshire has over 100 sober living homes. Vermont has 13 with three set to open this year. “We’ve never not had a waitlist for any of our recovery residences,” White said.
She says the residences are also understaffed, a result of burnout during the pandemic as well as low wages. The $1.5 million they’re asking for could address these shortcomings. They’re also hoping to allocate $325,000 from opioid settlement funding to provide scholarships for those looking to pay for long-term sober housing. “Having a supportive recovery house was so important for me to learn how to build a foundation of recovery, and it’s going to be important for other people to have that as well with this additional funding,” White said.
Another bill is also being introduced to track the success of recovery residences beyond keeping track of only their finances. “If you look at that report, you’ll see there’s nothing in there about outcome measurements, and we’re investing in these services,” said Sen. Ginny Lyons, D-Chittenden County, the bill’s sponsor. She adds that reporting by WCAX inspired the measure.
The recovery advocates are also asking for $1.5 million to fund recovery programs for incarcerated people. Tracie Hauck runs the Turning Point Center in Rutland, the only program in the state. “Many of them feel like they want to stay in recovery and they want to focus on that, but things change when they get let out,” she said.
Her program has had 250 voluntary participants so far and 108 of those people are still in touch with the program.
Related Stories:
WCAX Investigates: Obstacles to opioid use recovery – Pt. 1
WCAX Investigates: Obstacles to opioid use recovery – Pt. 2
WCAX Investigates: Obstacles to opioid use recovery – Pt. 3