What is the Vermont Department of Health doing to address opioids?
Opioids – such as prescription painkillers and heroin – are powerful drugs that are highly addictive. In Vermont, after a decade of steady increases in the number of deaths due to opioid overdose, deaths have started to decrease.
The Health Department has taken a comprehensive and holistic, inter-divisional approach to address opioid use disorder (OUD) and prevent overdose deaths. Strategies include increasing public awareness, supporting community-based services and enhancements in Vermont’s health systems. These strategies have been developed and evolved in coordination with programs across the Health Department and with partners across the state.