HowardCenter announces $3.8 million grant earmarked for youth addiction treatment

HowardCenter has announced that Centerpoint Adolescent Treatment Services in Chittenden County is one of two pilot sites in Vermont that will expand and strengthen treatment options for adolescents and young adults with the help of a $3.8 million grant from the Federal Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The grant will expand clinical and behavioral health services for over 1,000 young Vermonters by funding The Vermont Youth Treatment Enhancement Program a new initiative building on existing resources and talents within Vermont’s youth and family service system. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, ten percent of Vermonters over the age of 12 ‘ abuse alcohol or illicit drugs, which is higher than the national average of eight percent.’
Grant initiatives include:’
Improving access to care, with expanded community-based and co-located servicesReducing obstacles to care, with services that offer immediate responseEnhancing existing services and adding options for care, with new models of evidence-based practiceStrengthening current partnerships and developing new collaborative relationships The grant will be coordinated by the Vermont Department of Health’s Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs’
Centerpoint is a collaboration among HowardCenter, Northeast Family Institute, and Matrix Health Systems. More information on Centerpoint can be found at http://centerpointservices.org/who-we-are/.’
‘ HowardCenter offers life-saving professional crisis and counseling services to children and adults; supportive services to individuals with autism and developmental disabilities who need help with education, employment, and life maintenance skills; counseling and medical services for those struggling with substance abuse, and intensive interventions for adults with serious and persistent mental health challenges. The agency serves 15,000 individuals and families each year, mostly in Chittenden County (although some programs are statewide).