Vermont H 218: An act relating to fiscal year 2026 appropriations from the Opioid Abatement Special Fund

Bill Text

No. 16 Page 1 of 11
2025

VT LEG #383689 v.1
No. 16. An act relating to fiscal year 2026 appropriations from the Opioid
Abatement Special Fund.
(H.218)
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
Sec. 1. APPROPRIATIONS; OPIOID ABATEMENT SPECIAL FUND
(a) In fiscal year 2026, the following sums shall be appropriated from the
Opioid Abatement Special Fund established in 18 V.S.A. § 4774:
(1)(A) $1,976,000.00 to the Department of Health to fund 26 outreach
or case management staff positions within the preferred provider network for
the provision of services that increase motivation of and engagement with
individuals with substance use disorder in settings such as police barracks,
shelters, social service organizations, and elsewhere in the community.
(B) It is the intent of the General Assembly that these positions shall
be funded annually by the Opioid Abatement Special Fund unless and until the
Special Fund does not have sufficient monies to fund this expenditure.
(2) $76,000.00 to the Department of Health for distribution to
Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform to fund an outreach worker position.
(3)(A) $1,400,000.00 to the Department of Health for recovery
residences certified by the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences.
(B) It is the intent of the General Assembly that recovery residences
be funded annually at not less than fiscal year 2026 levels, unless and until the
Special Fund does not have sufficient monies to fund this expenditure.
(4)(A) $850,000.00 to the Department of Health for syringe services.

No. 16 Page 2 of 11
2025

VT LEG #383689 v.1
(B) It is the intent of the General Assembly that syringe services be
funded annually at not less than fiscal year 2026 levels, unless and until the
Special Fund does not have sufficient monies to fund this expenditure.
(5)(A) $1,100,000.00 to the Department of Health for the purpose of
awarding grants to the City of Burlington for establishing an overdose
prevention center upon submission of a grant proposal that has been approved
by the Burlington City Council and meets the requirements of 18 V.S.A.
§ 4256, including the guidelines developed by the Department of Health.
(B) It is the intent of the General Assembly to continue to appropriate
funds from the Opioid Abatement Special Fund through fiscal year 2028 for
the purpose of awarding grants to the City of Burlington for the operation of
the overdose prevention center, unless and until the Special Fund does not have
sufficient monies to fund this expenditure.
(6) $800,000.00 for distribution as follows:
(A) not more than $35,000.00 to the Department of Corrections for
distribution to Pathways Vermont to implement a contingency management
pilot program in Chittenden County for individuals under the supervision of
the Department of Corrections; and
(B) the remainder to the Department of Health for grants to providers
for ongoing support for contingency management.
(7) $32,157.00 to the Department of Health for distribution to the
Brattleboro Fire Department to establish community training programs on the

No. 16 Page 3 of 11
2025

VT LEG #383689 v.1
administration of opioid antagonists, CPR, first aid, and Stop the Bleed
protocols.
(8) $44,229.00 to the Department of Health for distribution to the
Champlain Housing Trust to continue a pilot program providing access to
wound care and preventative health care in three low-barrier shelters within
Chittenden County.
(9) $800,000.00 to the Department for Children and Families’ Office of
Economic Opportunity to support long-term programs at shelters for
individuals experiencing homelessness, including harm-reduction supports and
clinical nursing programs.
(10) $309,000.00 to the Department of Health for Health Care and
Rehabilitation Services of Southeastern Vermont’s Project Connectionworks to
reduce opioid use disorder morbidity and mortality in Windham County
through prevention, treatment, and recovery services.
(11) $50,000.00 to the Judicial Branch to train Vermont’s judges on
issues related to opioid use disorder and strategies for use in dockets statewide.
(12) $200,000.00 to the Department of Health for distribution to Elevate
Youth Services to establish Healthy Youth Program counselors at the
Basement Teen Center at Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Washington County.
(13) $100,000.00 to the Department of Health for distribution to Friends
for Change’s Youth Center in Bellows Falls for the purpose of delivering
intervention strategies and harm reduction supports to youth and young adults.

No. 16 Page 4 of 11
2025

VT LEG #383689 v.1
(14) $170,000.00 to the Department of Health for distribution to
Spectrum Youth and Family Services for two new positions to expand opioid
use disorder screening, treatment, and case management services to youth in
Chittenden and Franklin Counties.
(15) $80,000.00 to the Department of Health for distribution to Prevent
Child Abuse Vermont for the purpose of teaching parenting skills and
providing so