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Vermont prevention leaders urge Senate committee to secure sustained funding for substance-use prevention
Summary
Officials from the Vermont Department of Health and regional prevention organizations told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee that prevention programs reduce later costs and recommended steady, consolidated funding; presenters cited evaluation data, a FY27 request detail, and concrete local programs reaching thousands statewide.
Vermont Department of Health officials and regional prevention leaders told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on March 20 that sustained, consolidated funding is essential to maintain and expand statewide substance-use prevention programs.
The department’s presentation, led by Rick Hildbrand, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health, and Emily Truder, director of the department’s Division of Substance Use Programs, summarized research and state-level program results and urged the panel to protect and stabilize the substance-misuse prevention fund as the Legislature considers FY27 appropriations. “Sustaining and supporting consistent funding from the substance misuse prevention fund for this work is critical,” Hildbrand said.
The request and evidence Truder highlighted national and state data to make the fiscal and public-health case for prevention. She cited a study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that the state summarized as an $18 return for every $1 invested in prevention and said, “90% of individuals with substance use disorder began their first use under the age of 18.” Truder told senators the department’s FY27 proposal would allocate $5 million to the Vermont prevention lead organization (VPLO) structure, $3 million to school-based health services, and $1.5 million to field-based prevention staff, within a broader prevention portfolio the department characterized as about $18 million across multiple streams.
Why the model matters Officials described a multi-tiered Vermont prevention model that combines personal/social programs, school-based services, community initiatives and systems-level policy work. Truder and partners pointed to programmatic results they say show measurable impact: school and regionally funded areas had larger declines in recent high-school alcohol use than nonfunded areas; roughly 64% of middle- and high-school students currently receive some school-based prevention services; the department’s drug-disposal program collected about 18,000 pounds of unused medications in 2024; and recent media campaigns reached tens of millions of impressions.
Regional delivery and equity Speakers from regional lead organizations explained how state funds are allocated locally. Amy Carmola, chief impact officer at United Way of Northwest Vermont, described region-1’s multi-year portfolio that supports 17 organizations, serves priority populations (LGBTQ+, Black, Indigenous and people of color, and low-income households) and reported more than 5,000 people directly served and a broader reach near 50,000. Maryann Morris, executive director of The Collaborative (region 4), described rural-region investments in youth centers, youth councils and older-adult outreach, and emphasized that local planning and competitive subgrants are designed to promote geographic equity.
Evaluation and goals Presenters said the department and its partners prioritize evaluation: the department funded an external evaluation that found funded regions posted statistically larger reductions in youth alcohol use than nonfunded regions. Truder described 2030 goals that include 100% outreach/education coverage for middle and high schools, higher adult abstention from binge drinking, and increased perceived risk for certain substances.
Committee reaction and next steps Committee members asked about public-service messaging strategies (noting the shift to targeted social media), staffing capacity in schools (student-assistance professionals), and how to protect funding streams currently dedicated to tobacco and other programs. The chair asked the department to return with recommendations on consolidating prevention funds and the criteria used to allocate them. Presenters invited legislators and the public to Prevention Advocacy Day on April 9 to provide additional testimony.
The committee did not take formal action during the briefing; senators said they would consider the department’s funding recommendations as they move into budget and bill review in upcoming weeks.
