The State of Vermont's Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is seeking input from stakeholders on the Vermont Draft Recovery Housing Program Action Plan (RHP). The plan outlines priorities for the use of approximately $1.5 million in federal funds being provided to the State to address the needs of transitional housing for people recovering from addiction.
A recovery residence is a group home dedicated to supporting individuals to live independently in the early stages of their recovery from any type of substance use disorder. The Vermont Community Development Association (VCDA) offers a toolkit with best practices for developers seeking to build recovery housing. Last year, VHFA helped establish Jenna’s Fund, which cover costs for individuals staying at recovering residences.
A 2019 report prepared for Downstreet Housing & Community Development found that 14% of the Vermonters entering treatment would benefit from access to a recovery residence. However, Vermont only has enough beds to meet the needs of 2% of the recovery population. The need for recovery residences has only grown more urgent in the last year. Overdose deaths in Vermont increased 38% between 2019 and 2020, which experts attribute to increased social isolation and new challenges in offering treatment and support services due to the pandemic. The State intends to use RHP funding to expand the number of recovery residences to more Vermont towns and cities and to strengthen the service delivery network.
Please send all comments via email to [email protected] or mail to Cindy Blondin, Grants Management Analyst, Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, 1 National Life Drive, Davis Building, 6th Floor, Montpelier, VT 05620 by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 11, 2021.