2025 Report on Initiative to Address the Opioid Crisis
In February 2026 the Selectboard received a report on the 2025 activity for the opioid misuse prevention initiative and the current status of settlement funds.
News Flash
Addressing the Opioid Crisis Together
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Where's the money going?
Read the full article from Vermont Public.
Vermont Public | By Liam Elder-ConnorsPublished January 27, 2026 at 5:00 AM ESTSince 2022, millions of dollars have been flowing into Vermont from private companies accused of fueling the opioid crisis.
The money, extracted through national settlements with opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies, is meant to repair some of the damage caused by the crisis, which has wreaked havoc in communities across the state and killed more than 1,500 people in the past decade.
So far, the Green Mountain State has received more than $41 million with more on the way over the next decade, according to national settlement data. The bulk of that money goes into a statewide fund that the Legislature doles out annually. Some goes to paying the state’s legal bills for the cases, and the remainder goes to municipalities. Read more...
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Did you attend "Let's Talk About Opioids" Community Dinner & Forum?
Thank you
The Town of Essex is grateful to the courageous panelists, the passionate professionals and resource organizations, and supportive community that attended and took part in this event. If you were there, you enjoyed the scrumptious food from our own local area business, Green Meadows Catering in Essex.
Survey
The survey remains open! If you haven't already, tell us how you rank what our communities should consider a priority to address substance use.
Graffiti
We asked attendees to graffiti the walls with comments and, well, graffiti. Take a look!
What did you think of the event?
Did you attend? Give us a few short answers to let us know what you thought.
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Raving for Recovery Event on August 23
Join Turning Point Center of Chittenden County for Raving for Recovery 2025 - an annual gift to the community and high-energy celebration of hope, healing, and the strength of Vermonters in recovery.
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Community Forum on Opioid Use Prevention
Mark your calendar for September 9th at 5 PM and join us for a Free Dinner and Community Forum focused on preventing opioid misuse. This event will be held at the Essex High School, and everyone is welcome to attend!
Opioid misuse affects individuals and families throughout our local communities. Come learn about its impact in your area and discover ways you can make a difference. Enjoy a community dinner followed by informative panel discussions featuring professionals, experts, and individuals sharing personal stories. You will also have the opportunity to learn how to use Naloxone, ask questions, and connect with valuable resources. Mark your calendar, spread the word, and bring your family and friends. Check out the Town of Essex's website for more information. We hope to see you there as we work together to create a healthier, safer community. Sign up for updates for this informative community event.
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Perspectives 2025: Confronting Stigma, Cultivating Compassion
This full-day professional conference brings together experts and practitioners across disciplines to explore stigma, inclusion, and compassionate care in mental health and substance use services.
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Benefit Concert for Jenna's House and VT Alliance for Recovery Residences
“Have you ever felt like nobody was there? Have you ever felt like you could disappear? Like you could fall and no one would hear?” These opening lyrics of You Will Be Found from the Tony-Award winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, captures the lonely feeling experienced by so many with substance use disorder. Jenna’s Promise, a recovery community in northern Vermont, works to shine a light of hope into these lives with their holistic approach to the treatment of substance use disorder – through sober housing, treatment services, a support community, and an innovative work program that provides valuable job skills.But they can’t do it alone.Join your neighbors for a benefit event on June 29th from 2-4PM at Jenna's House in Johnson, VT to benefit Jenna's Promise and Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences. It will be a musical and visual journey via uplifting songs from Vermont’s Freedom & Unity Chorus, the inspirational piano music of Melinda White, and the inspiring film, No Easy Mile. This 20-minute film documents the fundraising run of West Bolton resident, Phil LaCroix, to complete the Long Trail in ten days and raise $50,000 for sober housing in Vermont. His epic run was in memory of friends lost to opioid addiction.
https://www.facebook.com/vermontsfreedomandunitychorus
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Coming Together Substance Use Addiction Summit - July 19th
Hope for All, Who Live with Addiction
Coming Together Substance Use Addiction SummitJuly 19, 2024, 10:00 am to 4:00 pmChamplain Valley ExpoEssex Junction
This FREE event is open to the public and free to attend. If you or someone you love is living with addiction, this summit is a flame of hope. Discover valuable resources, hear inspiring stories of success and struggle, and connect with those who understand.
Event Highlights:
- Inspiring speakers and presentations
- 100 Recovery and Recovery-Related Booths
- Vermont Health Department statistics on substance use
- Break-out rooms on specific recovery topics
- Memorial Wall for loved ones lost to substance use passing
- Food vendors
- Free parking
Key Goals:
- Increasing residential and recovery beds in Vermont
- Extending residential stays and increasing Medicaid reimbursements
- Developing a tri-state treatment model with Maine and New Hampshire
- Focusing on long-term recovery models like Jenna's Promise
- Supporting law enforcement with recovery and mental health workers
- Raising political attention to substance use addiction
Coming Together Substance Use Addiction Summit Vermont is sponsored in part by Savida Health. See you there!
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Being Responsive to the Impact of Opioids in the Community
On May 20, 2024, the Selectboard adopted long-term goals for FY2025. This included a goal to be responsive to the impact of opioids in the community.