Committee advances H.218 opioid-settlement spending package, authorizes $1.1 million carryforward for Burlington project

A legislative Human Services committee met to finish work on H.218, the opioids abatement settlement bill, and agreed to a package of grant allocations across Vermont while authorizing a carryforward of $1,100,000 appropriated last year for a Burlington project into fiscal 2026.

The committee discussed and signaled approval—by informal thumbs-up consensus—for funding recommendations that would be included in H.218. Committee members emphasized geographic distribution of grants and asked staff to add clearer reporting and grant-agreement language. The group also directed staff to add language authorizing carryforward of $1.1 million that the Legislature appropriated in fiscal year 2025 for Burlington; committee members said the city may return for a budget adjustment (BAA) in fiscal 2026 if it needs more operating funds once implementation begins.

Why it matters: the allocations are drawn from the statewide opioid-abatement settlement and are intended to fund harm-reduction, treatment and reentry supports across multiple counties. The carryforward decision affects whether Burlington can use funds already appropriated in 2025 to start operations if its provider selection and site approval occur late in the current fiscal year.

The committee reviewed and signaled approval for the following grant amounts to be included in H.218: $100,000 to Friends of Change Youth Center (Bellows Falls) for youth…